APPARENT RIVER OTTER PREDATION AT AN ALEUTIAN TERN COLONY

Two dead Aleutian Terns (Sterna aleutica) were found dead along river otter (Lutra canadensis) trails in a colony on an island in Sitkalidak Strait, Kodiak Island, Alaska. A review of the literature suggests ri ver otter predation on seabirds in the northeastern Pacific is widespr ead and that ''surplus killing'' of more prey than can be consumed is a frequent aspect of such predation; however, seabird colonies appear to persist despite such pressures.