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HIS OTTER PHOTOGRAPH WAS AWARDED "BEST OF
SHOW" IN NANPA (THE NORTH AMERICAN NATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSOCIATION) 2015 SHOWCASE. During
the 2012 annual summer spawn of native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
(Oncorhynchus clarkii), a female North American River Otter (Lontra
canadensis) caught four Cutthroat Trout in the span of just a few minutes,
delivering one to each of her three offspring. e fourth one she ate herself.
I have photographed otters at this location since 2006 and this was
new behavior. Previously, the female adult would catch a trout with her
young in tow, eat the fish, and leave the young to scavenge for the scraps
or eggs that fell into the water or onto the log where she ate. If they
tried to grab a bite of the trout, the adult otter would spin away from her
offspring and continue eating.
What was different this year was that one of her young had an injured
back with paralyzed back legs. He was able to swim, but unable to climb
out of the water onto the log, so the mother otter caught a trout and
placed it in a depression on a low floating log. Here it was trapped, and
the little one could eat free from interference by its siblings, because each
had its own trout.
Slow shutter speed was utilized with panning to blur the background
and to give a sense of motion.
e illegal introduction of non-native, predatory Lake Trout combined
with a prolonged drought and the appearance of exotic whirling disease
have resulted in a precipitous decline in Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. is
has had a cascading impact throughout the ecosystem. Wildlife species,
including Otter, Osprey, Bald Eagle, American White Pelican, and Grizzly
bear all depend on native Cutthroat Trout as a vital food source.
article and photography
by
CINDY GOEDDEL
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