Mark Stoto, a wildlife photographer, recently shared footage of an elusive species—river otters—in Arizona’s Salt River. Local news shared his video, calling it “rare.” 12 News AZ also wrote in its Instagram post sharing Stoto’s video that experts say the presence of river otters in the area signals “a thriving ecosystem.”
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[RELATED: Sound on: Otters Put on Hilarious ‘Rager’ for State-Park Trail Cam]
According to Arizona Highways, river otters were once common throughout Arizona’s waterways, but factors like trapping and habitat loss nearly wiped them out. Then, in the 1980s, scientists reintroduced otters to streams, lakes, and rivers in the state, including the Salt River.
Watch river otters in Arizona below (or see it here).
Header stock image by Connect Images/Jouko van der Kruijssen/Getty Images
