All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

WVDNR seeks public input for river otter citizen science project

Photo courtesy W.Va. DNR

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced today the start of a new citizen science project to identify the distribution of river otters across the state and is asking members of the public to report sightings through an online survey.

The survey can be completed online or by using the Survey123 mobile application. To learn more about participating in the survey, visit WVdnr.gov/surveys and scroll down to River Otters.

As part of the survey, participants will be asked to report river otter sightings and provide details about the otter’s location, the number of otters observed and what the otter was doing. Submitting a photo of the otter is encouraged.

The survey, which is similar to the box turtle and rattlesnake citizen science surveys the WVDNR have conducted, will provide updated information about the bodies of water river otters currently occupy. Data collected during the survey will help the WVDNR better manage river otter populations across West Virginia.

River otters, which were once extirpated in West Virginia, were reintroduced to the state by the WVDNR in the 1980s. Since then, river otter populations have stabilized and are increasing in certain areas.

To learn more about other citizen science projects and surveys, visit WVdnr.gov/surveys.

Share this story:

RECENT Stories

Buckhannon man arrested after police find fentanyl stamps in vehicle

A man was arrested for felony possession with intent to deliver after police allegedly discovered wax stamps in his vehicle that tested positive for fentanyl.

Buckhannon pair charged after road rage incident leaves car damaged

A Buckhannon man and woman were arrested after a road rage incident in which they allegedly threw bottles at another vehicle, causing over $5,000 in damages and threatening the driver.

Buckhannon-Upshur environmental students experience exciting legal battle with mock trial

Buckhannon-Upshur environmental students participated in a mock trial at the Upshur County Courthouse, learned about Parkersburg v. DuPont, and received advice from renowned lawyer Robert Bilott.

Upshur County Commission Agenda: April 24, 2025

The Upshur County Commission has released the agenda for its upcoming meeting scheduled for April 24, 2025.

City of Buckhannon Water Department announces service interruption on Thursday, April 24

Water service for parts of Vicksburg Road, Pine Street, Royalty Road and Tripp Drive will be interrupted starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 24, for repairs.

Alert: Ritchie Street paving to start Wednesday, April 23

Paving of Ritchie Street from College Avenue to Camden Avenue will begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, with residents asked to remove vehicles beforehand to facilitate the work.

Baseball Bucs come up short in McDonald’s Classic games

The Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers baseball team went winless in the McDonald’s Classic, losing three closely contested games against Washington, Wheeling Park, and Parkersburg South, despite several strong performances at the plate.

Upshur County Sports Calendar

This week’s Upshur County sports calendar features a full slate of baseball, softball, lacrosse, golf, tennis, and track and field events for local high school and college teams, with some schedule changes due to cancellations.

WVWC’s Stoffel named MEC Softball Pitcher of the Week

Kendall Stoffel of West Virginia Wesleyan was named Mountain East Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week after earning three complete-game victories, including a one-hit shutout, and striking out 17 over 21 innings.

Tennis Lady Bucs have impressive showing in northern panhandle

The Buckhannon-Upshur tennis Lady Bucs bounced back from an initial 7-0 defeat to sweep both John Marshall and Brooke, finishing their northern panhandle trip with a strong 7-4 record.

Tennis Bucs down Brooke on northern panhandle trip

The Buckhannon-Upshur boys tennis team finished a busy northern panhandle trip with a 4-3 win over Brooke after losing matches to Wheeling Park and John Marshall, bringing their season record to 5-6.
WVWC Track - Wesleyan Sports

Wesleyan track and field teams shine in home event

West Virginia Wesleyan College’s track and field teams turned in a dominant all-around performance at their home Jasmine Claggett Invitational, earning numerous victories, personal bests, and nationally ranked marks across both men’s and women’s events.