It’s not everyday that you get to see river animals swimming up close.
Kittiya Reeves had the opportunity to see the young animals, which could be otters, mink, or both, according to the BDN’s Outdoors Editor Susan Bard, while walking on the Brewer Riverwalk on Monday.
Adult otters can grow to be three or four feet long, and have sleek brown fur that is waterproof along with a long, thick tapered tail, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. They can be found in Maine’s rivers, streams, ponds and lakes, and like muddy banks to slide on.
Meanwhile, mink have a slender body that resembles a weasel, can grow to about two feet long, and have dark brown fur with white fur on the chin. Adolescent mink may not have the distinctive white chin. They also thrive in rivers, streams, ponds and lakes.
Both otters and mink are carnivorous, eating small fish and other aquatic animals. Otters are typically active in the evenings, while mink can be active before dawn and during the dusk hours.
While the type of animals Reeves saw may not be confirmed, otters can be curious and may be bold enough to interact with people. In 2021 a playful otter was seen in the harbor in Belfast, and in 2022 an otter visited some ice fishermen on Moosehead Lake, possibly in hopes of an easy meal.
Mink don’t seem to be as interested in humans. A Waterboro woman found them to be a useful link in the food chain when she couldn’t get rid of rats around her chicken coop.
Otters and mink do not typically interact with each other, and meetings between the two species can lead to injuries.
