Otter help - now sorted.

[slowworm]

Does anyone know much about otters or where I can get some sensible advice?

We seem to have an otter hanging about our garden. It's eaten everything in our pond but tonight it turned up again and walked up to our front door. We are remote and do have all sorts of wildlife about so it could just be hunting but I'm a little concerned for it's welfare.

Whilst typing this it has just climbed onto something and stared right in the front window, so it doesnt seem at all worried about humans, anyone know if this is normal?

I'm defrosting a locally caught mackerel for it for later. Anything I can do or should do?

 

[Harold Godwinson]

Welcome To the Tamar Otter & Wildlife Centre

Situated a few miles outside of Launceston, Cornwall, The Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre offers an enjoyable day out for the whole family

www.tamarotters.co.uk

 

[Robbi]

Does anyone know much about otters or where I can get some sensible advice?

We seem to have an otter hanging about our garden. It's eaten everything in our pond but tonight it turned up again and walked up to our front door. We are remote and do have all sorts of wildlife about so it could just be hunting but I'm a little concerned for it's welfare.

Whilst typing this it has just climbed onto something and stared right in the front window, so it doesnt seem at all worried about humans, anyone know if this is normal?

I'm defrosting a locally caught mackerel for it for later. Anything I can do or should do?

Where abouts are you ( generally)

 

[slowworm]

I'm in Devon. I have found a localish otter rescue that provides a phone number so I'll phone them in the morning.

I'd still appreciate any advice anyone can provide tonight.

 

[walker]

Otter sanctuary is your best bet , speak to the professionals rather than none experienced . And enjoy the company

 

[Stew]

I have no experience but it would be good to hear more as things progress.

 

[slowworm]

Here's a very hastily taken snap. Its sitting on an empty bee hive we have right next to the front door. The open flap in front is the letter box, so the otter was about an inch away from the letter box. (It also shows the otter is about 50cm nose to bottom, so a smallish adult).

 

[Tengu]

Hes plucking up the courage to knock on the door and ask you to restock the pond.

 

[Robbi]

Go out and sit down, see if it approaches you. To be that close would indicate it's comfortable around people, and it may need help or food if it's used to being fed.

 

[slowworm]

I've just phoned these people: https://ukwildottertrust.org/ and they were very helpful.

Basically it may have moved inshore because of the bad weather or it may be searching for a new territory. They can survive without fish and seafood, so it can eat mice and voles for example. As it seemed to move ok and didn't seem ill then we should just leave it alone and not feed. If we approach it it may hiss but then run off, it approaches us then that might not be normal.

One interesting thing is otters have a sweet tooth and it may have been attracted to the empty bee hives by the front door. That could explain its unusual behaviour.

 

[Mesquite]

One interesting thing is otters have a sweet tooth and it may have been attracted to the empty bee hives by the front door. That could explain its unusual behaviour.

You live and learn. Probably why it was happy to lounge around on the hive as well.

You're lucky to have had such a close interaction with a lovely animal

 

[richy3333]

I wouldn’t be feeding it.

We’ve had otters kill our chickens before

 

[Robbi]

He doesn't have chickens

 

[slowworm]

I did have chickens, and a buzzard got one. I also had a lost racing pigeon stay for a few nights before an owl got him from his perch 3' away from our back door. We also have badgers, foxes, stoats, weasels, the odd stray dog and the occasional pack of illegal foxhounds passing through and at the moment we're wondering about what are the chances of a lynx or other big cat turning up!

Safe to say when we get some more chickens they will be safely fenced in.

 

[Paul_B]

Don't feed but it's wild animal so will be around for some reason. I guess the only reason to remove is if it's ill, hurt or in danger for some reason. I doubt clearing out your pond will put it in danger no matter how annoyed it made you. You don't strike me as anything but a nature lover who believes in their rights to exist too.

Once saw a water vole on the canal out back of our old house and a fox one month into our new house. The latter just came to look into our dining room window. I've never really had many other interesting mammalian visitors so I'm jealous.

 

[Robbi]

Don't feed but it's wild animal so will be around for some reason.

How do you know it's a "wild animal"? It could easily be a domesticated otter that has got lost or in this day and age been abandoned and is try to seek human company, that's maybe why it's so close and apparently unafraid.

Never assume anything, you know what happens when you assume.

 

[Toddy]

It's illegal to keep an otter as a domesticated 'pet' though, and if it had come from a wildlife centre of some kind I'm pretty sure they'd have reported it missing and asked for folks to keep an eye out for it.
Otters are pretty omniverous really, they fair get about too.

I think your concerns were probably what made slowworm ask for advice on the forum though.
The response from the folks at wildottertrust though kind of suggests that they're not concerned that it might be any kind of domesticated animal.

 

[slowworm]

To clear up a bit of confusion I'm not annoyed at the otter for eating our fish, I did what I could to protect the fish from herons, cats etc but hard to keep an otter out.

My concern about the otters behaviour is twofold. Firstly I didn't know what else they would eat apart from fish, crustaceans and other river and shore grub. That's been answered and I'm happy they can get food about the place.

Secondly I know plenty of people would break the law and try to domesticate something like an otter or more likely feed them and then suddenly stop. (I've had problems with foxes that have been regularly fed and then the feeder move away leaving pet foxes behind.) That's also been dealt with as their behaviour could be explained by the sweet smelling bee hive. If they come back and look underfed/ill the otter trust will provide more help.

I'm happy to have them about the place and I'll leave them to it if they dont need any help.

 

[Robbi]

Good man

That's why I said domesticated not "pet"