THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — An otter has been spotted in the Bronx for the first time in a century.
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo confirmed the sighting after a motion‑activated camera captured the otter along the Bronx River.
This is the first sighting of a North American river otter in the Bronx, after roughly 100 years.
Experts say River otters disappeared from New York City generations ago because of pollution and habitat loss. WCS says seeing one now is strong evidence that decades of restoration work are paying off.
Local scientist RJ Hawkins was the one who captured the image. He said he “could hardly believe” what he was seeing.
“Knowing this may be the first documented river otter in the Bronx in generations was an incredible moment. It shows why long‑term wildlife monitoring and environmental restoration efforts matter,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins, a graduate of the Miami University of Ohio’s Advanced Inquiry Program hosted at the Bronx Zoo, recorded the image while conducting long‑term camera‑trap monitoring overseen by the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Education Department.
Bronx Zoo leadership said the sighting underscores why conservation matters, including cleaner water, healthier habitat and the return of wildlife long absent from the city.
Researchers caution that a single sighting doesn’t confirm a resident population, but it’s a powerful sign that the Bronx River is becoming wild again.
“For too long, the Bronx River was treated as a neglected afterthought, and our communities bore the burden of that neglect,” said Javier Lopez, interim executive director of the Bronx River Alliance. “Today, this otter reminds us that when we invest in nature, nature responds, and when communities lead, change is possible.”
Nicole Alarcon is an award-winning digital content producer. She has covered local news for the tri-state area since 2021. She joined PIX11 News in 2026. See more of her work here.
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