Public Attitudes Towards Otters

Hollzy

First of all I should make it clear that I'm referring to Britain moreso than Ireland. The Facebook page for the BBC Wildlife Magazine shared this photo of an otter.



Though I do like that page, I'd actually seen it shared by the page Ireland's Wildlife commenting on the debate this picture has sparked. The link below will bring you to the page so you can see for yourself. I'm quite a big fan of otters so I was intrigued. I'm still in college so any field experience I have is limited, though I have been involved with a great organisation to do some otter volunteer work. I suppose that experience has really endeared the otter to me.

Some of the comments on that photo really shocked me. Several suggested that the otter in question should have been shot with a gun instead of a camera. There certainly seemed to be a lot of angry anglers commenting but this confused me because the fishermen back in the village I'm from love seeing otters. One of them loves to come into the shop where I work and tell me about his recent sightings. He's going to take my father and I to a quiet spot on the river he knows to see if we can see any after my exams.

Some of the debate on that Facebook page was becoming a little ridiculous and some of what people were saying was far removed from the truth or becoming aggressive so I thought a debate (or perhaps an agreement?) here would have more reason to it.

I think one thing that can be concluded is that there is a much more positive attitude towards the otter here than in Britain, generally speaking. The otter is in decline here, but Ireland is still a European stronghold for the otter so perhaps this isn't surprising. Thoughts?

This link will take you directly to the BBC page.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=588122834540244&set=a.498436226842239.118364.141737225845476&type=1&theater

This one will take you to Ireland's Wildlife's Facebook page. You can see the comments on that post and compare them. (Not many there yet, only three as I post this).
https://www.facebook.com/wildireland

Birdnuts

I wouldn't take such things too seriously. Your always going to get ignorant trolling on public forums like that.

Mickeroo

If they're going to introduce fish into a natural habitat they can't expect the wildlife to be applying for a license before they predate on it. Theres a few on there likening them to mink which seems slightly skewed to me. Would there be similar outrage if the photo was of a heron or cormorant?

Most people i know don't have a bad attitude towards otters at all, although my parents are convinced we lost a lamb or two to one last year. I was pretty skeptical as I didn't think otters would go for that kind of prey but have otters actually been known to take lambs?

Hollzy

I've never heard of an otter going for a lamb. I did an otter diet workshop with that organisation I mentioned (www.miseproject.ie for those interested) back in November. We analysed spraints found in the Comeraghs in Spring to see what the otters were eating. There was a huge abundance of frog and a noticeable absence of eel. There was evidence of rabbit in one of the spraints, but as far as I can remember that was the only mammal.

Here's a link to the report.
http://www.miseproject.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/otter-diet-workshop-report-3011125.pdf

Birdnuts

Mickeroo wrote: »

If they're going to introduce fish into a natural habitat they can't expect the wildlife to be applying for a license before they predate on it. Theres a few on there likening them to mink which seems slightly skewed to me. Would there be similar outrage if the photo was of a heron or cormorant?

Most people i know don't have a bad attitude towards otters at all, although my parents are convinced we lost a lamb or two to one last year. I was pretty skeptical as I didn't think otters would go for that kind of prey but have otters actually been known to take lambs?

I have never heard of them taking a lamb - their preferred habitats would rarely bring them in contact with lambs anyway. There have been cases where they have taken farmyard poultry but that would be a very rare event, usually involving a young male thats been kicked out of his territory and forced to wander to find his own. Comparing them to non-native invader like mink is indeed plain stupid. Indeed Otters have been known to supress mink numbers in areas where there is a healthy population.

My few acres in North Mayo goes down to the seashore and is part of the territory of a very large male otter. He has never caused us any problems on the farm and I enjoy seeing him enjoying his fish meal on the shore if I'm up early in the morning.

OpenYourEyes

Could it be the case that the odd otter has occassionally scavenged on a dead lamb, rather than actually killing it?

Hollzy

I imagine scavenging is more likely. I also volunteered with MISE on a two day spraint survey last October. The second day was based in the Comeraghs (the first day was based on the same rivers but around Dungarvan where they enter the sea). We were surprised with how many spraints were found up there, considering how much harder it is to come by food up there. In many areas, otters are being pushed further upstream and this coupled with the decrease in the eel population makes food harder to come by. So I'm sure an otter wouldn't pass up a lamb carcass in those areas at least.

Mickeroo

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Could it be the case that the odd otter has occassionally scavenged on a dead lamb, rather than actually killing it?

Their line of logic was the carcass was caught in the fence by the stream as if something had dragged it that way and abandoned it due to it getting snagged. The fact it was near the river was what made them jump to the conclusion, but it could just as easily still have been a fox imo. Its a pretty small shallow stream and we're a good 500 metres from the shore so I didn't think an otter being up there was likely, thought they'd stick to bigger streams with fish in them.

I'd agree that if it was an otter then the lamb was most likely already dead.

dodderangler

Only ever heard of otters taking chickens and ducks but a lamb?
Never knew otters were that kind of predator
See one on the dodder at a spot of mine and he always just playing or snacking on a trout
Seen him with a big eel aswell but I'd never shoot one
Only one animal that needs thining out on rivers is cormorant

OpenYourEyes

dodderangler wrote: »

Never knew otters were that kind of predator

I think the important thing to take from the above posts is that they aren't that kind of predator! Scavenger perhaps, able to kill lambs? Hugely unlikely!

dodderangler wrote: »

Only one animal that needs thining out on rivers is cormorant

In fairness I have only seen a cormorant on the Dodder a few times (talking about upstream from Donnybrook), and on any of the rivers and lakes I've fished down the country there have never been too many cormorants - just the odd one!

The only things that need to be controlled on Irish rivers and lakes are
1) Fishermen who take loads of fish unnecessarily or illegally
2) Mink

Get rid of those two and there'll be plenty of fish for everyone

thegreatgonzo

Hollzy (or anyone else who knows the answer), am wondering when the best time of day to see an otter might be. Are they more active early in the morning for instance? I just heard there is an otter not far away from where I live and I'd like to see him if possible.

OpenYourEyes

I think first thing in the morning is one of the best times to see them - but I've heard of people seeing them at various stages throughout the day. So getting up early would be a good place to start, but I'd say take regular walks by the river you expect to see them on, and walks at various parts of the day to maximise your chances

downonthefarm

if the shoe was on the other foot the pike would be having otter for dinner

kylith

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

In fairness I have only seen a cormorant on the Dodder a few times (talking about upstream from Donnybrook), and on any of the rivers and lakes I've fished down the country there have never been too many cormorants - just the odd one!

You'll see a fair few of them down around Heuston most mornings.

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

The only things that need to be controlled on Irish rivers and lakes are
1) Fishermen who take loads of fish unnecessarily or illegally
2) Mink

Get rid of those two and there'll be plenty of fish for everyone

Hear, hear!

Hollzy

I was talking to someone once about when otters would be most active and I thought what he said was very good - "Otters don't read textbooks, they don't know when they're supposed to be awake!"

A local fisherman is always chatting to me in the shop where I work about his otter sightings and he usually sees them in the evening, but early morning is a good time too.

Zzippy

Great photo!

As an angler myself, I see otters regularly, have even had them swim into me and hit my legs when wading in a river after dark - now that was a scary experience (not sure who got more of a fright tbh!). Always delighted to see them, and after hooking one by accident once while flyfishing, I just stop fishing now whenever I see one to avoid any chance of that.

Re anglers' attitudes to otters, I think in Ireland most anglers are happy to see them - they are a sign of a healthy ecosystem and a plentiful supply of food i.e. fish, so a welcome sight. Remember most anglers here are fishing for wild fish.
In the UK, a lot of fisheries are stocked put-and-take fisheries, where anglers are paying for the fish to be stocked in, and somehow see any animal taking those fish as "stealing" their "property". I don't agree with that point of view, just trying to show where that attitude comes from. Thankfully its not prevalent in this country.