The 26 counties in central Indiana may remain closed....


The DFW has reported that the reintroduction locations of the river otters occurred in areas
having the most appropriate habitat. These are the areas having greater populations sufficient to
sustain the proposed harvest. Areas in central Indiana contain less optimal habitat and are areas
where river otters were not directly reintroduced. Consequently, central Indiana areas do not
presently have extensive populations. For this reason the DFW has concluded that the 26
counties in central Indiana will not be opened for trapping. The DFW offered the following in its
response to public comments:

The counties open to harvest are in watersheds where river otter were originally
relocated, have had time to establish, and where populations are doing well. The
26 counties in central Indiana that would remain closed are within watersheds
where river otters were not reintroduced and have not become established. A
feasibility study complete in 1994 suggests that river otter habitat is less optimal
within these closed counties/watersheds.

The Department’s conclusion that through the establishment of this trapping season, which
allows the harvest of modest numbers of river otters from only those areas where populations are
thriving will “ensure otters continue to thrive in Indiana while allowing sustainable harvest in
areas of the state where they are doing very well. The conservative bag limit and statewide quota
are designed to allow otters the opportunity to continue to expand their range and population
densities in central Indiana.”