American River Otters spotted in Ridley Creek for first time in over 100 years: 'Monumental event'

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. - Wildlife conservationists in Pennsylvania are celebrating the return of the American River Otter to Ridley Creek, a sighting they say hasn't happened in over 100 years.

The Williamstown Conservation Trust shared night vision photos from December of the otters, and called their return "a significant milestone in regional conservation efforts." 

American River Otters were native to Ridley Creek, an offshoot of the Delaware River that winds over 20 miles through suburban Philadelphia, before European settlers arrived but vanished due to hunting and habitat destruction by the early 1900s.

Reintroduction efforts in the 1980s led to a population rebound in northern Pennsylvania, according to experts who called the otters' return a "monumental event." They noted the river otters are highly sensitive to pollution and habitat degradation, and require healthy water conditions. 

"This is a great example of a community caring about a watershed and a species responding to that passion and dedication," said Pennsylvania Game Commission's Furbearer Biologist Tom Keller said.