Country Ecology: River otter

A friend who formerly resided here recently sent me an alarming news clipping about a man bitten by a rabid otter down in Florida while he was out walking in the very early morning hours. She mailed me the story and wondered not only how the otter had become rabid but thought this weasel-like animal was a northern species — so was surprised the event happened at all.

I looked in my “Peterson’s Field Guide To Mammals,” and was very impressed that this aquatic animal had an entire continental range, except for the desert areas. I also had never heard of a rabid otter, so some mammal which was infected must have bitten it.