Here we have a Northern River Otter with frozen whiskers. She’s cavorting briefly in a local pond’s open water before disappearing somewhere under the ice, never to reappear within the 30 minutes that we waited for her.
It’s a good sign for us, since these large weasels will not inhabit polluted areas. Otters are adapted for hunting and playing in water: they have webbed paws; powerful undulating tails; ears and noses that can be sealed shut; lungs that allow submersion for up to eight minutes; eyes that can see through dark water, and whiskers that sense vibrations caused by underwater prey.
(Brooklin, Maine)