Round two of March Species Madness continues! In the first corner, the River Otter (Lontra canadensis) emerges with two wins under its belt, having defeated the muskrat in the qualifiers, and the red squirrel in the first round. The species is charismatic, resourceful, adaptable, and maybe a little ruthless when it comes to getting what it wants.
Standing in its way, underwater, and swimming, is the Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). It has its backers too, as it is the official fish of nine states in the US. As long as the river water is cold and clean, they can be found almost everywhere in North America (click here for more facts about this fish).
Regardless of their differences, both the river otter and the brook trout need clean habitats, and that’s becoming harder to come by in the face of rapid urbanization. Both species are vital to the ecology around them, keeping prey under control and providing food to larger predators. At rare, we’re proud to count these two species within the lands we steward, but these lands can only have a future with your support.
So, will the river otter charm its way past the brook trout and into the quarterfinals? Or will the brook trout avoid capture, swim upstream, and live to fight another day? The result depends entirely on your votes, so vote now: