Artist Reply: Thanks for your lovely comments, Sarina. I'm an unabashed otter fan. I've seen them in the river pool in my backyard, playing on the opposite bank. The pups use the bank on the opposite shore for a slide and splash into the river. They fight and swipe each others' fish and toys and act a lot like human kids. I sat on a rock, keeping still one morning, and an adult male caught a steelhead trout [actually a salmon] not fifteen feet from me. He refused to share, munching his catch with relish and sharp warnings not to even think about stealing his breakfast. I obeyed his direction and after he'd finished his leisurely meal, off he swam. I've never seen him since.