For my 9 year old who is writing a paper for school, do river otters hibernate? How do they survive winters?

The information that I have found is that they do not hibernate in the winter and they do not store food over the winter.

Your nine-year-old son may find the following sites interesting and helpful. I hope that he does.

http://www.geocities.com/bobarnebeck/habits.html

Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency: River Otter (http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=458&q=150517)

River Otter (Lutra canadensis) (http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/lutrcana.htm)

Illinois Furbearer Guide: River Otter (http://dnr.state.il.us/orc/wildlife/furbearers/river_otter.htm)

River Otter: Wildlife Notebook Series - Alaska Department of Fish and Game (http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/furbear/rvrotter.php)

River Otter: Wildlife Notebook Series - Alaska Department of Fish and Game (http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/furbear/rvrotter.php)