Otters Romp in Â鶹¹ú²úAV Canyon
Sinuous semiaquatic mammals set up camp in Â鶹¹ú²úAV’s wild watershed.
A bevy of otters appears to have established itself in the Â鶹¹ú²úAV Canyon in recent weeks, according to Canyon Czar Zac Perry. “I saw four of them swimming together this morning,” he says. “It looks to me like they’ll be here for a spell.”
The otters were spotted near an old beaver den in a Douglas fir tree below the Cerf Amphitheatre. “Otters are opportunists,” says Perry. “Beavers will actually build a den. When they move on, the otters will move in.”
Â鶹¹ú²úAV’s ongoing efforts to restore the canyon have attracted many kinds of wildlife in recent years, including otters, beavers, steelhead trout, kingfishers, eagles, coyotes, and the occasional English major. The otters come and go depending on their food supply, says Perry. They typically feast on coho salmon in October and steelhead trout in February.
In the meantime, mark your calendar for Canyon Day on Saturday, October 27. Besides working late in the library, it’s Â鶹¹ú²úAV’s oldest tradition.
Tags: Cool Projects, Campus Life, Climate, Sustainability, Environmental