NEED TO KNOW
A river otter was documented in the Bronx River for the first time in about 100 years
The sighting highlights decades of conservation efforts to restore the once heavily polluted Bronx River
River otters are indicators of healthy ecosystems requiring clean water and abundant fish to thrive
For the first time in about a century, a river otter is back in the Bronx.
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Bronx Zoo announced on Tuesday, Aug. 19, that a North American river otter had been documented along the Bronx River for the first time in roughly 100 years, which is being touted by the organization as evidence that the “decades of conservation and restoration” are improving the iconic waterway.
The otter was photographed on Tuesday, June 23 by a motion-activated camera set up by local scientist RJ Hawkins, whose work is overseen by the Bronx Zoo’s Education Department. According to a news release, the sighting is believed to be the first documented river otter in the Bronx stretch of the river since the early 1900s.
This is a camera trap photograph of a river otter taken on June 23, 2026 in the Bronx River. This is first such sighting of a river otter in the Bronx in 100 years. A local scientist is working with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Education Department, based at the Bronx Zoo, on this research
Credit: Wildlife Conservation Society Education Department/RJ Hawkins
“When I first reviewed the images, I could hardly believe what I was seeing,” Hawkins said in a statement. “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.”
According to experts, river otters once occupied waterways throughout New York State but vanished from many areas because of pollution, habitat loss and unregulated trapping. Today, they’re considered indicators of healthy freshwater ecosystems, since the otters rely on clean water, plentiful fish and intact river habitat.
The Bronx River, once heavily polluted and known as one of “the nation’s most neglected urban rivers,” has undergone decades of restoration, orchestrated by public agencies, nonprofits, community volunteers and conservation partners. However, in 2007, when beavers returned for the first time in over 200 years, officials say it was the first sign of the river’s ecological recovery and the otter suggests the river may continue to flourish for native aquatic wildlife.
“There are moments in conservation that remind us why this work matters, and this is one of them,” said Craig Piper, WCS’s interim executive vice president of zoos and aquarium and director of the Bronx Zoo. “Thanks to a broad coalition of public and private partners, we can celebrate the return of an otter as a result of decades of restoration work to provide cleaner water and healthier habitat. It’s a win for both wildlife and people.”
Researchers caution that a single observation doesn’t necessarily point to a local population of the otters. However, the discovery demonstrates the river’s increasing ability to support new and returning native species.
“This otter’s return is a gift, not just to the Bronx River but to the communities that have fought for 50 years to bring this river back to life,” 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 … We’re just getting started.”
Read the original article on People