CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Have you ever seen a North American river otter in West Virginia?

According to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, river otters are one of 74 mammal species that can be found in the Mountain State. The WVDNR website breaks down the categories of mammals in West Virginia, placing the river otters in the second-most diverse group – the carnivores. Within the carnivores group, they are in a smaller category of weasel, along with minks and fishers.

The National Wildlife Federation says North American river otters can grow from three to four feet in length, including their tails, which take up about one third of their full length. They also tend to weigh anywhere from 11 to 30 pounds.

North American river otters are able to “thrive in any water habitat,” according to the National Wildlife Federation. This includes ponds, marshes, lakes, estuaries, and of course, rivers at multiple elevations and temperatures where there is an adequate food source. The National Wildlife Federation says with the exception of parts of the Southwest United States and in Mexico near the Rio Grande and Colorado River delta areas, the North American river otter can be found in most areas of the U.S. and Canada.

According to the WVDNR, river otters were at one time eradicated from the Mountain State, but were reintroduced in 1985. The WV DNR says since then, the otters’ populations have been stabilized and are continuing to increase in some areas. The National Wildlife Federation says their life span is approximately eight to nine years in the wild, but they have been known to live up to 21 years in captivity.

Last summer, the WVDNR announced a new citizen science project that was focused on identifying the distribution of river otters across the Mountain State. The online survey is still underway and allows West Virginians to log their sightings of river otters out in the wild, and even upload photos of them.

The WVDNR says they intend to continue the project until a year’s worth of data has been collected. Anyone who wants to learn more about participating in the project can click here.