What started as a morning jog turned into a memorable wildlife encounter for one California resident, who spotted a pair of river otters swimming at Fahrens Park in Merced, the Los Banos Enterprise reported.
Aileen Fierros (@leeenersss) uploaded the footage to TikTok on Jan. 18, showing the playful mammals splashing around before slipping beneath the surface.
Otters are rarely spotted in California's Central Valley, so the encounter thrilled local nature fans.
@leeenersss so fricking cuteeee #otters #209 #fyp #centralvalley ♬ Cycad Slumber - Desmond Cheese
Fierros likely filmed North American river otters, a species that thrives in aquatic environments thanks to its paddle-like feet, streamlined body, and thick coat.
Adults can stretch up to five feet from nose to tail tip and weigh between 10 and 30 pounds. They like streams, marshes, and rivers stocked with fish and crayfish, and rely on their sensitive whiskers to locate food in dim or cloudy water.
Otter numbers crashed during the 1800s and 1900s. Trappers hunted them aggressively for fur, and polluted waterways destroyed much of their habitat.
These animals need clean water to thrive, so agricultural and industrial contamination forced them out of many regions.
Tighter regulations and cleaner waterways have helped otter numbers grow again across California. Fierros' sighting suggested that Merced's parks and streams could be hosting more otters than locals realized.
Footage shared by residents provides wildlife experts with valuable data, and community observations help scientists map otter activity across the region.
Everyday people who document sightings play a vital role in conservation efforts, and anyone with a smartphone can participate.
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$200 or more 💰 Rebounding otter populations point to better water quality, which is good news for the communities that depend on these waterways for drinking water, farming, and outdoor recreation. When otters return, it often means local ecosystems are on the mend.
Viewers of the original TikTok video were enthralled.
"It's looking right at you!!! Awww you're their protector," one commenter wrote.
"It amazes me that most people don't realize otters are in almost all flowing body of waters in Cali," another replied.
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