Otter hysteria

Chicagoist reported a bombshell today: river otters reside in almost all watersheds in Cook County. The riverine rodents even live in downtown Chicago, according to a biologist. I know coyotes live in the city and this town is dirty with raccoons (pun intended), but otters! Wow. I've only seen one otter in my life and it was scampering along a reservoir in southeastern Illinois, near Effingham. They are much larger than one would expect; more seal-like than rat-like really.