LAKE LIMESTONE, Texas — It's no secret that the skies have dumped plenty of rain on Texans throughout the past few months, but the more unexpected sight is some of the wildlife that's returning to waterways as a result of the rainfall.
In a video taken by John Dickson, Reservoir Manager at Lake Limestone, located west of Jewett, he spotted a river otter around the area taking in the atmosphere as the rain continued to fall, eventually diving into the water before vanishing.
Spotting this weasel family member is significant in many aspects: for one, they are typically found in the East Texas Piney Woods, despite their history of habitation spanning from the Texas Panhandle to parts of South Texas. Additionally, despite not being considered endangered, they are deemed a "species of concern" due to the amount of fur trapping that's involved them over the years, as well as the fact that they haven't been spotted a lot.
River otters are described as carnivores that are cute and playful in nature, having webbed feet that are typically about two and a half feet in length. According to the Brazos River Authority, they enjoy building slides on riverbanks and sliding down them on their bellies.
More frequent sightings of river otters in Texas waterways gives wildlife officials hope that their population can one day not be deemed a species of concern.
