Gov. Jared Polis recently brought attention to the 2026 anniversary Coloradans may not yet know about.
2026 is the 250th anniversary or semiquincentennial of the United States and the 150th anniversary, or sesquicentennial, of the State of Colorado; however, Coloradans may not know that 2026 is also the 50th anniversary of the successful reintroduction of river otters in Colorado.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) reintroduced river otters between 1976 and 1991.
“Did you know that 2026 marks the 50th Anniversary of the successful reintroduction of river otters? While the nation’s semiquincentennial and Colorado’s sesquicentennial may take the splashy headlines, we are also celebrating an important anniversary for Colorado’s river otters. These slippery, but playful, creatures play an important role in strengthening the health of our rivers, and we have seen river otter populations successfully spread across the Western Slope ahead of this milestone anniversary of their reintroduction. This year the 250/150/50 celebrations include all of us and Colorado’s river otters,” said Polis.
“River otters had been eliminated from Colorado by about 1910. CPW reintroduced 120 otters between 1976 and 1991. Surveys occurring between 2003 and 2017 along with our staff’s field observations suggest that otters are now at least fairly well distributed on the west slope of Colorado,” said CPW Director Laura Clellan. “Our survey efforts this year, in addition to public sightings submitted through iNaturalist, will help CPW understand where we have otters now and if there are areas where they could further expand.”
Between 1976 and 1991, Colorado reintroduced the species, releasing over 100 otters sourced from healthy populations in other states.
Scientists at the Colorado Division of Wildlife (now CPW) selected five locations with high-quality otter habitat as release sites: Cheeseman Reservoir, the Gunnison River, the Piedra River, the stretch of the upper Colorado River that runs through Rocky Mountain National Park and the Dolores River.
Colorado is among 21 states that have or are making efforts to reintroduce and foster river otter populations. Colorado’s river otter populations are doing so well, state efforts are now dedicated to monitoring them.
CPW efforts this year will give the state a better understanding of otter populations statewide.
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