Why do river otter diets change with the seasons?

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

River otters are opportunistic feeders, meaning they consume whatever prey is most easily obtained in their environment. Because they are not restricted to a single food source, their diets change seasonally and locally based on the availability of prey, such as fish, crayfish, crabs, mussels, and frogs. As the abundance of these species fluctuates throughout the year, the otters adapt their hunting habits to target the most accessible food sources at any given time.12