To better understand the role that otters play in Appalachian ecosystems, we evaluated their diet in West Virginia. Thanks to a collaborative effort between WV trappers, WV Division of Natural Resources, and WVU, we examined the contents of approximately 100 otter stomachs that were donated by trappers, collected under nuisance permits, or found as roadkill. We used a DNA metabarcoding approach to examine the DNA fragments found within the stomachs and identify which species they belonged to (Table 1). Overall, we found that sunfishes and crayfish were the most common diet items. Trout were not common diet items, and were found in only 9 of the total stomachs. Out of the 9 total stomachs with trout, none contained only trout and 4 were collected under nuisance permits. We did not find diet to be significantly related to age, sex, or ecoregion where the otter carcass was collected, which supports the idea that otters are opportunistic hunters.
Management Implication: This study found evidence that otters do not consume trout as a main diet item, and that the nuisance collection system is an appropriate measure to reduce human-otter conflict. This table shows all the diet items that were found in the otter stomachs and what percentage of the total stomachs each diet item was found in.
Table 1. Percentage of otter stomachs that contained different prey items