How do river otters travel between separate bodies of water?

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Sea otter — otter A sea otter (*Enhydra lutris*) eating a crab.

Although river otters are proficient swimmers and spend most of their time in the water, they are capable of traveling swiftly overland to move between separate bodies of water. When making these terrestrial journeys, they typically follow the shortest route possible and often establish well-worn trails to facilitate their movement.1