River otters are giving P.E.I. a second chance.

The province’s rivers, streams, and ponds were once full of these playful mammals. But when European settlers arrived, hunters trapped them relentlessly. Why? Their fur was thick and warm – and very valuable.

Settlers were also clearing the forests to make farms. This squeezed otters out of their habitats. By the late 1800s, river otters were completely wiped out.