Whidbey scientist chronicles hidden life of river otters

Published 1:30 am Friday, June 5, 2026

On Whidbey Island, a romp of river otters dances across the dirt, sauntering between fresh and saltwater.

“Romp! A Journey Through the Natural History of Otters and Why They Matter” blends science, conservation and Island’s personal experience into one impactful book. Animal behaviorist, biopsychology professor and author Heidi Island splits her time between her home in Oregon and her cabin on Whidbey. Her work has brought her from classrooms and laboratories to the beaches and waterways of the Pacific Northwest.

Published last month, the book follows a family of otters Island observed on Whidbey Island between 2018 and 2020, while also exploring the world’s 14 otter species and the global scientific community dedicated to studying and protecting them. It also highlights the role residents played in supporting the project. Whidbey community members hosted trail cameras, collected samples and participated in outreach events over the years. Island also partnered with the Whidbey Camano Land Trust and the Whidbey Environmental Action Network throughout the process.

Whidbey Island became a natural focus for Island’s research because of its geography, she said. Surrounded by the Salish Sea while also containing numerous lakes and freshwater sources, the narrow island provides an ideal habitat for river otters that move between both environments.

The book grew out of Island’s own research career. After years of studying otters in captivity, she returned to fieldwork in 2018 and began establishing a long-term study site on Whidbey Island. Written in the first person, the book incorporates memoir elements alongside field observations and conservation science.

“It’s in a similar genre as “Soul of an Octopus” or “What an Owl Knows,” she said.

At the center of the book is the ecological importance of otters. River otters and sea otters serve as indicators of environmental health, while sea otters play an especially significant role in cultivating kelp forests by feeding on sea urchins, she said. Healthy kelp forests, as Island noted, are critical ecosystems that contribute to “carbon sequestration” and support marine biodiversity.

“Romp!” received strong reviews from authors like Jennifer Lauck, a New York Times–bestselling author of “Blackbird.”

“Island brings a Jane Goodall–like patience and wonder to the world of otters, observing with both scientific rigor and deep reverence,” she wrote. “Romp!” is an intelligent study that never loses sight of its heart, written in prose that’s as playful and engaging as its subjects. This is a book that will make you feel both smarter about the natural world and grateful to inhabit it.”

Island’s passion for otters extends into her teaching. She regularly brings students into the field to collect data on marine mammals. She will soon be bringing them to Whidbey to conduct research on the river otter population, including studying foraging behavior and analyzing scat samples for pathogens and parasites.

Although “Romp!” focuses on otters, Island described its message as a metaphorical embrace.

“I’m proud of this book because it’s a love letter,” she said. “It’s a love letter to the Whidbey community. It’s a love letter to the otters. It’s a love letter to the otter science community.”

The message of “Romp!”, she hopes, is ultimately one of optimism.

“I hope that people see the book as really hopeful,” she said. “It is not a doom-and-gloom book about the planet falling apart. It’s a very proactive story.”

Part of that positivity comes from the recovery of sea otter populations in the Pacific Northwest. After being largely eliminated from much of the North Pacific, sea otters were successfully reintroduced to Washington in the late 1960s and early 1970s, according to Island.

For readers interested in Whidbey Island, Pacific Northwest ecology or the animals that inhabit the region’s waters, she believes the book offers a closer look at both the science and the people working to protect it.

Island will be hosting a public author talk and book signing from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on June 13 at The Book Rack in Oak Harbor.

“Romp!” can be found in bookstores and libraries across Whidbey Island. It can also be found on Amazon or at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775730/romp-by-heide-island-phd/.