River Otter Ecology Project
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersForest Knolls, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
River Otter Ecology Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- River Otter Ecology Project
- Legal name
- River Otter Ecology Project
- Website
- https://riverotterecology.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
River Otter Ecology Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildlife Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences (THAJAIAJ)
Keywords
Where River Otter Ecology Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Forest Knolls
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
River Otter Ecology Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters. Donations are processed through third-party processors like Authorize.net and PayPal. The organization states 86% of contributions go directly to programs.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship opportunities that provide companies visibility, cause-related marketing, and involvement in environmental mission.
- Planned Giving / Estate Gifts: Charitable bequests through wills or living trusts, providing tax benefits for donors and long-term financial support for the organization.
- Grant Funding: Funding from foundations and organizations such as the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment that support conservation and watershed restoration work.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Donation-based support |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
River Otter Ecology Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
River Otter Ecology Project operates a community-science, research, and education nonprofit delivering the Otter Spotter citizen science platform for tracking river otter sightings, field-based research and monitoring (camera trapping, scat analysis), the Otter Ambassador community outreach program, and environmental education programs. These offerings support the organization's mission of protecting local waterways by engaging the public, volunteers, students, and partner organizations in watershed conservation.
Product overview
River Otter Ecology Project operates as a community science, research, and education nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on river otter conservation and watershed protection. The core offerings include the Otter Spotter citizen science platform for tracking otter sightings, Research and Monitoring programs using field surveys and camera traps, the Otter Ambassador community outreach program, and Community Education initiatives. These programs work together to advance the organization's mission of using river otters as ambassadors for watershed conservation, supported by internship training and educational resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Otter Spotter: Community science project that tracks and documents river otter recovery through individuals reporting otter sightings on their website. Since 2012, Otter Spotter has plotted 2,300+ sightings from all Bay Area counties.
- Otter Ambassador Program
Products and services
- Otter Spotter A community-science citizen science platform that enables the public to report and track river otter sightings, creating a comprehensive database of otter distribution across the western United States and beyond.
- Research and Monitoring Scientific research program involving field monitoring, camera trapping, scat collection, and prey studies to understand river otter population recovery and ecosystem health in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Community Education Educational programs including field trips, classroom presentations, environmental tabling events, and resources for families, students, and teachers about river otters and watershed conservation.
- Otter Ambassador Program A community outreach program that trains volunteers to engage with neighborhoods where otters are commonly sighted, providing conservation education and fostering community stewardship of local watersheds.
- Internship Program Seasonal field internships for individuals aged 18+ to gain hands-on experience in wildlife research, camera trapping, scat collection, and ecosystem monitoring in Marin County, California.
- Connecting Otter Health and Human Health A research initiative examining the connections between river otter health, ecosystem health, and human health as indicators of watershed conditions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,300+ otter sightings documented since 2012
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use River Otter Ecology Project
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
River Otter Ecology Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
River Otter Ecology Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Elizabeth River ProjectcoreConservation partner using the Otter Spotter platform and local knowledge to support river otter conservation in their region.
- Friends of the Verde RivercoreConservation organization partnering to use Otter Spotter platform for tracking river otter recovery in the Verde River watershed.
- Loveland Living Planet AquariumcorePartner using the Otter Spotter platform to support conservation education and local river otter monitoring efforts.
- Vadnais Lake Area Water Management OrganizationcoreWater management organization partnering to track river otter presence and watershed health in their service area.
- The Marine Mammal CentercorePartners with ROEP for necropsies of dead otters, seeking cause of death including health issues like bacterial, viral or fungal infections, cancer, or trauma.
- California Department of Fish and WildlifecoreGovernment agency that partners with ROEP for otter necropsies and has updated official range maps to reflect Otter Spotter sightings.
- Local River Groups (Arizona)minorCollaborating with local river groups in Arizona to raise awareness about watershed needs and implement Otter Spotter program.
- Local River Groups (Virginia)minorCollaborating with local river groups in Virginia to raise awareness about watershed needs and implement Otter Spotter program.
- International Otter Survival FundminorInternational organization for which Megan Isadore presented ROEP's community science work in Scotland.
- International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)minorInternational conservation body where Megan Isadore serves as Deputy North American Coordinator for the Otter Specialist Group, and presented ROEP's community science work in France.
- Lagunitas Brewing CompanyminorCorporate supporter that provides donations and brings partners out for otter excursions to support ROEP's work.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
River Otter Ecology Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sea Otter Foundation & Trust: Nonprofit focused on otter research, conservation, and education; comparable species-centric conservation and community engagement model.
- Friends of the Verde River: Arizona watershed conservation group using Otter Spotter for otter recovery tracking; directly comparable in mission and community-science methods.
- Elizabeth River Project: A watershed conservation nonprofit that partners with ROEP using the Otter Spotter platform; shares the model of community-led river restoration and river otter monitoring.
- River Otter Alliance: Nonprofit dedicated to river otter conservation, education, and monitoring, mirroring ROEP's species-focused conservation mission.
Broad incumbents
- iNaturalist: Large-scale community-science biodiversity platform whose crowdsourced wildlife sighting model overlaps functionally with Otter Spotter but spans all species globally.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird): Operates a leading citizen-science observation platform; comparable community-data model applied to birds rather than freshwater mammals.
Others
- Zooniverse: Large citizen-science platform enabling public participation in research projects; thematically comparable community-science infrastructure.
- The Marine Mammal Center: Marine mammal research and rescue nonprofit and ROEP partner for necropsies; adjacent aquatic wildlife health organization in the same region.
Regional players
- Save The Bay: San Francisco Bay Area watershed conservation and restoration nonprofit engaging volunteers and communities in the same geography as ROEP.
- International Otter Survival Fund: UK-based otter conservation nonprofit with comparable species-protection and awareness mission but serving a different geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
River Otter Ecology Project social profiles
Digital presenceRiver Otter Ecology Project compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
River Otter Ecology Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
River Otter Ecology Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
River Otter Ecology Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
River Otter Ecology Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about River Otter Ecology Project
What does River Otter Ecology Project do?
River Otter Ecology Project operates a community-science, research, and education nonprofit delivering the Otter Spotter citizen science platform for tracking river otter sightings, field-based research and monitoring (camera trapping, scat analysis), the Otter Ambassador community outreach program, and environmental education programs. These offerings support the organization's mission of protecting local waterways by engaging the public, volunteers, students, and partner organizations in watershed conservation.
Is River Otter Ecology Project a public or private company?
River Otter Ecology Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was River Otter Ecology Project founded?
River Otter Ecology Project was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is River Otter Ecology Project based?
River Otter Ecology Project is headquartered in Forest Knolls, United States, in the North America region.
How does River Otter Ecology Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, planned Giving / Estate Gifts and grant Funding.
Who are River Otter Ecology Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sea Otter Foundation & Trust, Friends of the Verde River, Elizabeth River Project and River Otter Alliance. Broad incumbents are iNaturalist and Cornell Lab of Ornithology (eBird). Others are Zooniverse and The Marine Mammal Center. Regional players are Save The Bay and International Otter Survival Fund.
Does River Otter Ecology Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for River Otter Ecology Project.
What industry is River Otter Ecology Project in?
River Otter Ecology Project's product category is Wildlife Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAB, Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation. Its NAICS code is 813312.