River otters (Lontra canadensis) have a reputation for goofing off. They spend a large part of their day wrestling, sliding on their bellies, and playing chasing games. Most river otters weigh 15 to 30 pounds. River otters are semiaquatic (living both in water and on land). An otter easily catches fish.

Otters do not store food, but catch as
much as they can before eating. Their favorites are sunfish, bass, minnows,
crayfish, snakes, frogs, and sometimes muskrats, ducks, and mice.

Otter fur is very dense and does a good job of insulating otters underwater. A river otter can hold its breath as long as two minutes and dive more than 40 feet deep.

Today, the river otter thrives throughout the state, including areas in Georgia where its’ populations were once diminished. River otter abundance is directly dependent on habitat quality and availability.