(Photo by Dan Schiebelbein) A trio of northern river otters are seen near the South Saskatchewan River

By Charles Lefebvre

Otters spotted in South Saskatchewan River

Feb 10, 2020 | 3:51 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A new animal sighting near Police Point Park has attracted the attention of Medicine Hat residents.

For the past month, a trio of northern river otters have been spotted in the South Saskatchewan River near Police Point Park.

“It’s been seen for about a month, a month and a half,” said Marty Drut, a park interpreter at the Police Point Park Nature Centre. “It’s something that’s very unusual to see out on the prairie areas.”

The northern river otter is typically found in northern or western Alberta, says Drut.

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Drut says he spoke with the Royal Alberta Museum about the observations, who added the sighting in Medicine Hat is highly unusual, and had a possible theory for their appearance.

“One of the things he suggested is, similar to beavers, they were hunted out during the fur trade, and maybe they’re starting to return to some areas that we didn’t know about historically,” Drut said.

(Photo by Dan Schiebelbein) Northern River Otters observed on the shore of the South Saskatchewan River

Drut says the otters have primarily been spotted near the water treatment plant and at the areas where the Ross and Seven Persons Creeks enter the South Saskatchewan River.

He adds they want the public to treat otters like any other wildlife they come across.

“Let’s not harass them, we’d really love if they’d stick around,” he said. “So, be respectful of keeping your distance. If you’re going to come down to see them, have some binoculars or a camera with a good lens so you don’t have to get too close to them.

“If you do happen to see them, and if you have a dog, don’t let the dog swim in the river nearby.”