[Above photo: This is a camera trap photograph of a river otter taken on June 23, 2026 in the Bronx River. This is first such sighting of a river otter in the Bronx in 100 years. A local scientist is working with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Education Department, based at the Bronx Zoo, on this research. Credit: Wildlife Conservation Society Education Department/RJ Hawkins]
 

BRONX, N.Y. (August 19, 2026) — The Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx Zoo announced today a North American river otter has been documented in the Bronx along the Bronx River for the first time in approximately 100 years, providing compelling evidence that decades of conservation and restoration are transforming one of New York City's most iconic waterways.

The otter was photographed by a motion-activated camera deployed by local scientist, RJ Hawkins, and overseen by the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Education Department based at the Bronx Zoo. The discovery is believed to represent the first documented occurrence of a river otter in the Bronx section of the Bronx River since the early 1900s. 

Hawkins, a graduate of the Miami University of Ohio Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) hosted at the Bronx Zoo, captured the image while conducting long-term camera trap monitoring for wildlife along the river overseen by the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Education Department based at the Bronx Zoo

"When I first reviewed the images, I could hardly believe what I was seeing," said Hawkins. "Knowing this may be the first documented river otter in the Bronx in generations was an incredible moment. It shows why long-term wildlife monitoring and environmental restoration efforts matter."

Said Craig Piper, Wildlife Conservation Society’s Interim Executive Vice President of Zoos & Aquarium and Director of the Bronx Zoo, said: "There are moments in conservation that remind us why this work matters, and this is one of them. Thanks to a broad coalition of public and private partners, we can celebrate the return of an otter as a result of decades of restoration work to provide cleaner water and healthier habitat. It’s a win for both wildlife and people.”

River otters once ranged throughout New York's waterways but disappeared from many areas because of pollution, habitat degradation, and unregulated trapping. Today they are considered indicators of healthy freshwater ecosystems because they depend on clean water, abundant fish, and intact river habitats.

The sighting is the latest chapter in the Bronx River's extraordinary ecological recovery. Once heavily polluted and long regarded as one of the nation's most neglected urban rivers, the Bronx River has experienced decades of restoration led by public agencies, nonprofit organizations, community volunteers, and conservation partners. In 2007, beavers returned to the river for the first time in more than 200 years. The appearance of a river otter suggests the river continues to become more hospitable for native wildlife.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo has been a proud partner in the restoration of the Bronx River for decades, working with the Bronx River Alliance and others to improve habitat, engage local communities, and reconnect people with New York City's only freshwater river. The return of native wildlife, including beavers to now a river otter, reflects years of collaborative conservation work to improve water quality and restore habitat. It is a powerful example of how healthy urban rivers can once again support the wildlife that historically called them home. 

While researchers caution that a single observation does not necessarily indicate a resident population, the discovery demonstrates that the Bronx River is increasingly capable of supporting native wildlife that has been absent for generations.

“This otter's return is a gift, not just to the Bronx River but to the communities that have fought for 50 years to bring this river back to life. For too long, the Bronx River was treated as a neglected afterthought, and our communities bore the burden of that neglect. Today, this otter reminds us that when we invest in nature, nature responds, and when communities lead, change is possible," said Javier Lopez, Interim Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance. "We are especially proud that RJ Hawkins, a mentor to our Environmental Enrichment and Leadership for Students (EELS) interns, played a role in this discovery. This is a powerful reminder that the health of the river reflects the health of the people who live alongside it. We're just getting started."

Piper added, "This isn't simply the story of one animal. It's the story of an urban river coming back to life. Every improvement in water quality, every acre of restored habitat, every community volunteer who has cared for this river has helped make a moment like this possible. We hope it's the first of many."

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