Otter in the IFSC (Liffey)

paulusdu

well, nearly in the IFSC

I was out walking down by the Liffey beside the IFSC around 9:30 last night when i spotted an otter (my first ever wild one). He was on the but of the new pedestrian bridge than runs across the river just up from Becketts bridge.
He was chewing away on a fish, as happy as you like, looked really healthy and very big, 3ft +. I was standing on the bridge watching him for a good 5 or 6 minutes, he was well away i was there, along with a few other passers by.
I've never heard of an otter around that part of the liffey before, has anyone else?
My camera was in the car, but there was no way i was chancing running to get it in case he scarpered.
Great sight to see, especially when he jumped in the water and disappeared.

I'll be back again this evening with the camera, just in case

mushykeogh

Seen what i think was an otter yesterday morning on my way to work. Sitting on the steps down into the liffey at arran quay. At first i thought it was a huge rat until i got a side on view. Would that be unusual to see so close to the city centre?

Mothman

Merged with thread from a week ago...

Same Otter?

mushykeogh

Sorry, hadnt seen that thread, its early!.

paulusdu

Could be the same one, Arann Quay is only about a 1km from city Quay where i saw one last week
good to see he/she is still alive and well

i've been back a few times to see him, but no joy so far

hmmm

I saw what was possibly the same guy swimming along beside the Four Courts last Saturday.

BargainHunter

If this otter could be encouraged to put in a regular appearance in the city centre it would do wonders for irelands tourist industry. Otters are much rarer on the continent than in Ireland. In the USA, many tourists visit Seattle just to see the otters there.

Dublin city council should take steps to encourage city centre otters, maybe by building habitat for them, creating platforms for them and even feeding them.

Grid.

Wow ...I'd love to see an otter!

Birdnuts

BargainHunter wrote: »

If this otter could be encouraged to put in a regular appearance in the city centre it would do wonders for irelands tourist industry. Otters are much rarer on the continent than in Ireland. In the USA, many tourists visit Seattle just to see the otters there.

Dublin city council should take steps to encourage city centre otters, maybe by building habitat for them, creating platforms for them and even feeding them.

Improving the habitat be removing all the plastic cr%p from the river, regulary, would be a start!!

paulusdu

In fairness, the Liffey is so much cleaner than it was say 10 or 15 years ago. the stench from it was unreal.

But yes, a lot more could be done with it.