They weigh between 11-30 pounds with the males weighing more than the females. Most of the otters in the Border Country do not exceed 20 pounds and 4 feet in length. Otters are dark brown with paler brown bellies. They have small eyes and ears and long tails. Their ears and noses have adapted to keep water out with valves that close when they are underwater.
Otters have very noticeable whiskers that are long and white.
River otters are found in lakes, streams, rivers, and ponds in forested areas. They also spend a lot of time on land. River otters are found all along the east coast of the US, northern parts of the Midwest, in the Pacific Northwest, and most of Canada. They live in dens along the banks of rivers and lakes. Sometimes otters will dig their own dens or else use hollow logs, overhanging roots or other empty animal burrows.