River Otter Ecology Project Timeline
When we noticed otters in Lagunitas Creek in Marin, we became curious as to their presence and niche in our local waterways. As we looked into the very little known about Bay Area river otters, we saw an enormous data gap and set out to fill it. The following are highlights of the work accomplished since our beginnings in 2012. It’s been quite a ride, with the otters inspiring us at every moment, and support from our community of nature lovers, otter spotters, scientists, naturalists, students, and photographers keeping us moving forward.
One of our first photos of a young otter eating a staghorn sculpin, giving us our first clue as to otter prey habits in Tomales Bay. Photo Paola Bouley
2012
• Founded by Megan Isadore, Terence Carroll, Paola Bouley
• Initiated population and health research, community science Otter Spotter, and public education efforts
• Science Advisory Board
• Television, radio, print journalism outreach
• Volunteer/intern programs begin
2013
• Outreach–19 print, radio, and television pieces
• 16 Volunteers
• 490 otter spotter sightings
• Advocacy begins with Otter Crossing sign
The Crew: River Otter Ecology Project staff, board, and volunteers met at the Inverness Yacht Club to celebrate our first year of research, community science, and education. Photo Jouko van der Kruijssen
Jordan Arce, graduate student at SF State University works on fecal samples collected in the field by volunteers. Photo ROEP
2014
John Muir Conservation Award
• Gold Medal Conservation Leadership Award
• Congressional Certificate of Excellence
• Began genetics work with Frank Cipriano, PhD
2015
• Published Return of River Otters (Lontra canadensis) to Coastal Habitats of the San Francisco Bay Area, California – Northwestern Naturalist
• Fundraising Event “ Welcome Back Otters ” at San Francisco Bay Model
• Invited presenter at State of San Francisco Estuary conference
• Reached 1500 Otter Spotter sightings
Our partnership with Mt. View Sanitary District begins, and the district posts an Otter Awareness billboard for World Otter Day. Photo ROEP
Little Fluffy Clouds, an award-winning animation company gifts River Otter Ecology Project with a beautiful and inspiring short film.
2016
• Initiated Hands On High School, students field and lab science/environmental education
• Bay Nature magazine cover story
• Expanded Board with experienced development, education, and volunteer directors
• As the River Flows animation published on website
2017
• Megan Isadore appointed Deputy Continental Coordinator for the IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group
• Second community awareness event /fundraiser, Berkeley Botanical Gardens
• Prey Analysis Study begins
• Otter “Oscar” award, International Otter Survival Foundation
• Congressional Certificate of Recognition
L to R, Terence Carroll, President; Megan Isadore, Executive Director; Nicole Duplaix, Chair of IUCN Otter Specialist Group; Mia Monroe, NPS Ranger and Community Liaison; Robert DeLeo, Advisor, at Welcome Back, Otters – our 5-year anniversary event. Photo Jouko van der Kruijssen
Children coloring and enjoying their hand-made otter hats while learning about what makes otters safe and healthy. Photo Camille Licate
2018
• New Website
• Expansion into South Bay with public presentations, environmental events, TV, print and radio spots
• Little Otter book published
• Reached 3,332 Otter Spotter reports
• Protected otter area in Point Reyes National Seashore
2019
• Comparison research of camera trapping to genetic methods begins
• New Range Map published by CDFW
• Expanded Hands on High School program
• Trained 15 new volunteers
• Published in Scholastic Math
• Completed prey study
Educational outreach plaque set up in Moorhen Marsh, Mt. View Sanitary District. Dozens of schoolchildren visit the marsh on educational field trips. Photo ROEP
Volunteer Erin Barto demonstrates how to make a track casting on the beach at Pt. Reyes National Seashore. A video of track casting methods is available on our resources page.
2020
• Deep Dive and Three Year Plan
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work
• Founding member, West Marin Together Equity Group
• First Mostly Water Splash! Art, Poetry, and Photography contest
• Published An Approach to Long Term Monitoring of Recovering Populations of Nearctic River Otters (Lontra canadensis) in the San Francisco Bay Area, California — Northwestern Naturalist
NEW PARTNERSHIPS: Marin County Office of Education for K-8 Environmental Education training for teachers, California Academy of Sciences and California Department of Fish & Wildlife for otter salvage and necropsy, Institute for Integrative Conservation, College of William & Mary
2021
• Research completed on Drake’s Bay restoration
• Expanded Hands on High School
• Returned to in-person camera trap monitoring
• Welcomed new Board member
• Began work on Otter Spots! Community Conservation
We’re grateful to all the generous photographers who provide us with images. Here, river otters frolic on a dune. Photo Carlos Porrata.
© 2020 River Otter Ecology Project