CSP member Bob Federoff spotted a river otter feeding on a large fish (10"-12") at Westmoreland Park on Friday evening (3/30/17) and made this video. He couldn't get close enough to identify the fish (and one should never disturb an otter at their meal) but we think it is the same type that member Celeste Searles Mazzacano took this photo of at the north end of the park on the same day.
Between us, we think it is a member of the Catostomidae family, commonly called suckers. This one is likely a largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus). They say when spawning the female lays an enormous number of eggs and there is another one born every minute.
Here is the one Celeste saw near the footbridge closest to Bybee.
And a much clearer view by the awesome fish artist Joseph Tomelleri (this one from the Idaho Fish and Game Dept.).
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