“Sunday Morning” visits otters on the hunt for fish at a pond in Portland, Maine. Videographer: Mauricio Handler.
The North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) is the species of otter found in Maine, and you’ll find lots of them along the entire coast (and probably inland as well). River otters are mostly nocturnal members of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and rather large, growing up to 3.5 feet long and weighing around 30 pounds. They are referred to as “semi-aquatic,” since they spend most of their waking hours in water and come to land when denning, moving from one body of water to another, or marking a territory.