To understand what otters eat in West Virginia, we are using stomach contents from otter carcasses collected as part of a collaborative effort between WV trappers, the WVDNR Wildlife Resources Division, and WVU. In total, we are examining 105 otter stomachs collected from 2020-2023 from over 30 different counties across WV.
This past month, we dissected all 105 otter stomachs! Next we will use a DNA metabarcoding method in the Wild Genomics lab to collect DNA fragments from within these stomachs. Using bioinformatics, we will then use these DNA fragments to determine which species the otters were preying upon. From there, we can draw conclusions as to what species otters tend to eat here in West Virginia. Keep an eye out for these results on our “Projects” page!
Stomach Dissection in Action
Photo Credit: WVU Wild Genomics Lab Member Adam Cook
River Otter "27-20" wins the award for 'most full otter stomach'. Most other stomachs were much less full, which you can see in the following picture.
A peek at what the otter dissection process looks like. Can you guess what the paintbrush is for? Answer below