Community science project asks Colorado public to help track river otters
Apr 13, 2026, 3:30 PM
Every time I go to the zoo I find myself saying the otters were my favorite exhibit. If you’re like me, here’s something cool you can do right here in Colorado…
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking residents and visitors to grab their phones and help track river otters as part of a yearlong effort to assess how the once-vanished species is faring in the state’s waterways.
The agency launched the Otter Y.E.A.R. project — short for Yearlong Engagement and Assessment of River Otters — inviting the public to submit photos and location details of river otters or signs of their presence, such as tracks or scat, through the free iNaturalist app.
River otter populations had dwindled in Colorado before reintroduction efforts helped bring the animals back to the state’s rivers. The community science project is designed to build on that work and identify suitable habitats that remain unoccupied.
Along with public participation, CPW staff and partner organizations will conduct formal surveys throughout 2026 on the Yampa, Green, Colorado and Gunnison rivers.
Data collected this year will inform future conservation work, including potential new reintroduction efforts.
CPW acknowledged that river otters can be difficult to distinguish from other swimming mammals such as beavers, muskrats and minks, all of which share similar characteristics and habitats. The agency has posted a guide on its Otter Y.E.A.R. website at cpw.state.co.us/otteryear to help participants tell them apart.
How to participate:
- Download the free iNaturalist app.
- Search for the “Otter Y.E.A.R. 2026 project.”
- Submit photos of river otters or signs such as tracks or scat.
- Include location details to help improve data quality.
More information is available at cpw.state.co.us/otteryear.
