Estuarine Biology

River Otters

One of our most popular exhibits is the River Otter Habitat located outside. Enjoy watching our playful otters, Bubbles and Squeak swimming, chasing each other, or romping through the sand. Otters abound in the tidal creeks and rivers of the Chesapeake, but are rarely seen because they are active primarily at dawn and dusk. During the day they rest in their dens, and when confronted quickly dart underwater and swim to a secluded area. As top predators in the food chain, they have a good life. Extremely strong for their weight, and fast swimmers thanks to their streamlined bodies and webbed feet, they easily capture fish, frogs, and snakes for food. Our otters have a slightly different diet. Besides fish, they enjoy things like shrimp, boiled eggs, carrots, peanuts, grapes and dried banana chips. At 4:00 p.m. the otters are brought in for their final meal of the day. You can then view them in their indoor habitat thru the window at the end of the Estuarium. They are also brought in on very hot days, so check ahead to be sure they are out.