Re-establishment of River Otters in New Mexico and other ponderings.

Recently last month several river otters from Washington state were reintroduced and released in northern New Mexico. This was an effort to return the sleek mammals to their historic range in the state.  It has been more than 50 years since the last river otters were spotted in this state. State officials feel that trapping and loss of habitat contributed to their disappearance from our state.



This is the second release of river otters in NM in the last two years. Nearly two dozen states, including neighboring Arizona, Colorado and Utah, have successfully reintroduced river otters, which biologists say play an important role in keeping semi-aquatic ecosystems healthy and diverse.

So while cheering on the otter, we probably should think on other species that we have tried to re-establish into their natural territories. These efforts have been greeted with emotions and feelings from jubilant to fear to outright anger. Take the Wolves, from the Mexican Grays, to the ones trying to re-establish in Yellowstone. Wolves are an apex predator. When we eradicated them from their native ranges due to misunderstandings and ignorance, we upset the balance of other species. Now we have problems with the "prey" animals who are now nuisances, and spreading disease among our cattle etc. There is much ignorance even today where they are concerned and many myths. Most wolves would prefer to hunt their own native foods, however, if that balance is severly upset, or the pack is starving, yes they might kill cattle, but it's our fault for being so arrogant to think the land and control of the land and it's animals is all ours. Hello! You're just providing a simpler meal for these predators. It's not the wolves, or bears, or mountain lions' faults, and they shouldn't be hunted for it either. I can understand the rancher's plight, but find a better medium please? Too long has the policy been to kill and eradicate a species rather than find a happy medium.

Ah but I digress.....  I am estatic that we, as a part of a whole, are trying to restore balances in our natural surroundings. I just wish perhaps that some people would be a bit more open minded to learn the parts those animals play in the balance of things and how our role in things has thrown it way out of whack. And that we could learn to live with our wild neighbors better. As they have been trying to adapt and live with us encroaching on their habitat more and more everyday, shouldn't we try to do the same? Shouldn't we try to make exceptions and adapt to live with them?