During winter, when there is significant snowfall, wildlife biologist Luanne Johnson begins the hunt for otter trails.
Only in the snow can she easily track the round-toed trails at Sepiessa Point Reservation or the smooth belly slides along the hills of Cranberry Acres. Otherwise, the elusive otter remains mostly a mystery. This winter has been a good one for observations.
After every snowfall you may have noticed a series of odd, tube-shaped slides, wending mostly through Island woodlands but also over roads and even into downtown Oak Bluffs or Edgartown. The creatures that left these mysterious trails are less easy to spot, but recent research carried out by two Vineyard scientists suggests they are abundant. They are coastal river otters.
Talkin’ Otters
Wildlife biologists Luanne Johnson and Elizabeth Baldwin are hoping Island hikers will be on the lookout for otter trails and slides in the woods this winter. The two are studying the Island’s river otter population with a goal of mapping otter habitat and understanding the diet of these aquatic mammals — the top predators in our coastal ponds.
Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation has received an $8,000 grant from the Edey Foundation for a coastal otter research project led by biologist Luanne Johnson, to document the diet and habitat of river otters on the Vineyard. The community-based project asks Island residents, conservation groups, teachers and students to help map otter trails and latrines and help analyze otter diets.
