Otter-ly adorable: Otters surprise onlookers in Belmar
BELMAR — A group of otters made a surprise appearance on the 9th Avenue Pier Tuesday evening, to the delight of people who happened to walk by and catch a glimpse.
Randi Rosenberg, 61, of Belmar and her husband Alan were strolling the area around sunset when they spotted the otters’ furry heads in the water near a dock.
"We saw them swimming first," said Randi Rosenberg. "I thought it was a dolphin… because I couldn't really see. I just saw a head pop up."
Then the otters jumped on the nearby dock, she recalled.
"We've seen dolphins and whales on the beach, but we’ve never seen otters," Rosenberg said.
The North American river otter is native to New Jersey, but was nearly hunted to extinction for its fur in the 1800s, according to the New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Otters prefer unpolluted water systems and tend to be found in watersheds with beaver colonies, where stable water sources lead to abundant food, according to the department. They eat fish, crayfish, crustaceans, reptiles, amphibians, clams, snails, insects and birds, according to Fish and Wildlife.
They typically seek quiet areas away from humans with deep pools and soft stream bottoms, so seeing a group in a busy marina drew onlookers.
"They were pretty close," Rosenberg said.
Humans should give otters space, because they are predators that bite and can be aggressive. Otters are also capable of carrying rabies, according to wildlife experts.
To protect their population, New Jersey law requires a special permit to trap otter.
Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Otters make appearance at Belmar's 9th Avenue Pier
