DellyBelly wrote: » I live up that way and put out loads of rat poison. Hopefully it takes it and that will be the end of it
The Enbalmer wrote: » I've just been out setting snares along the canal..baited with fruit. Apparently there's a bounty on each of these things so I'm hoping to catch a few.
Former Former wrote: » Tell me this is a pisstake. I don't want to live in a world where anyone is this stupid. Please.
DellyBelly wrote: » Well no it's not and I actually found 3 dead ones close to where I had some poison put out...so it is working
DellyBelly wrote: I live up that way and put out loads of rat poison. Hopefully it takes it and that will be the end of it
Former Former wrote: » Maybe try some yourself, just to be sure.
Polar101 wrote: Okay, so no coypus to be sighted, but where/when can you spot an otter? Never seen one along the canal myself. Would love to see one.
freesia1 wrote: My husband walked that way today and three people had their phones out videoing two otters swimming and having fun. Hopefully it is a case of mistaken identity and there are no Coypu.
The Enbalmer wrote: » There's no otters and I'm pretty sure these yokes are actually mink not coypu. If they are mink they need to be eradicated
deezell wrote: If you can't find the sump plug, tip the mower first to drain the Petrol into a container, say an empty plastic quality street box or some such. Do this outdoors and carefully. Put this back in your petrol can. Now you can tip to empty the oil.
Arbie wrote: I've seen a pair of otters swimming and playing in the Royal Canal during the day several times recently along by Ashtown/Rathborne/Royal Canal Park. They are definitely otters and not coypu or mink.
PaddyBomb wrote: » These don't look like the coypu. Looks like otters or minks as someone suggested.
Birdie Num Num wrote: That looks like an otter to me. The white face suggests it's an otter.
The Enbalmer wrote: » Mink are white under the chin too
Birdie Num Num wrote: That's otter. Too big for mink and the shape of the head suggests otter.
The Enbalmer wrote: » I've been fishing the canal for over 40 years and I've never seen or heard of otters in it. I dunno why they'd move there suddenly once the area becomes built up
Birdie Num Num wrote: Hope the fishing is going well. Haven't fished for years myself.
The Enbalmer wrote: » If you saw them during the day in a populated area they most likely were not otters. Also,there's been so much work done along the canal banks recently there's no way otters would set up holts there. Otters and mink are very difficult to tell apart when they're swimming
Arbie wrote: I grew up beside a river full of mink and these guys are definitely otters. Much bigger and different faces. I was watching from the bank of the canal and one of them popped up right at the edge, less than 1 metre away, so I got a good look. You are right that otters are usually nocturnal, etc. but they can be seen in day and in relatively urban areas.
Waterways Ireland wrote: Thanks for sending in that lovely photo ..of an Otter, at the 12th Lock. That is most certainly an otter – its activity is also indicative of otter activity. It's great to get in all these Otter reports and great to see the public are so interested in the canals nature and so vigilant
Waterways Ireland wrote: Looks like the otter have moved closer to town around the Broombridge area - plenty of video evidence coming in this week of a pair or possibly even a family of them - early mornings when it's quiet before 8am dawn ish is often a good time to spot them.
Waterways Ireland wrote: Earlier this week Waterways Ireland received notification of an unconfirmed report from the National Biodiversity Data Centre via National Parks and Wildlife Services of a Coypu on the Royal Canal. We are obliged to take this seriously, given the potential implications posed by a Coypu presence on Irish waterways. All evidence now leads us to believe that this was a case of mistaken identity and the report was likely that of native Otter, which are present on the Royal Canal. As there is a legal obligation to remove such invasive species from the wild, Waterways Ireland will continue to work closely with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC). The public are encouraged to contact NBDC (www.biodiversityireland.ie) with any record of the invasive Coypu, preferably with a confirmation photo, if they happen to come across this species on any waterbody.
highdef wrote: DellyBelly, how do you feel now that you most likely killed 3 native otters by way of poisoning them?
The Enbalmer wrote: » He can sell the pelts..no harm done.
