Inside Illinois's Otter Comeback

In the '80s, fewer than 100 otters lived here; now, we have about 30,000. Here's a peek at what'd behind the conservation success.

Published Jul 31, 2018

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As recently as the late ’80s, river otters were barely hanging on in Illinois, with fewer than 100 living in just two populations. But after the Department of Natural Resources started a reintroduction program in 1994, the population has rebounded to about 30,000 animals living in every county (including Cook). Check out the rest of the story here.