Northern river otters appear to be flourishing in Colorado's Boulder County after about a century of struggle.
River otters are listed as a threatened species in Colorado.
Their population disappeared back in the mid-19th and 20th centuries according to Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) area wildlife manager Larry Rogstad.
They were reintroduced to the state in the mid-1970s in the Colorado and Piedras Rivers, and in rivers along the west slope and in Souther Colorado.
They were not reintroduced in the Front Range waterways.
The threatened species has been struggling in Boulder County for about a hundred years, but now appears to be rebounding.
This otter was spotted recently in an area near the St. Vrain River. A long-term wildlife monitor with Boulder County Parks and Open Spaces took the photo of it.
Over the last five years, river otter sightings have been increasing in the county from two in 2011 to about 23 in 2015.
Rogstad this is encouraging not just for otters, but the entire river habitat.
"This is a really good indication, and if the otters are thriving, the many, many different species that use the habitat are also probably going to do well - so it's not just a great sign for otters," he said.
You can help monitor sightings of river otters, and many other threatened species, by filling out a form on their website.
