Jan M.
TUG Member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2010
- Messages
- 4,550
- Reaction score
- 5,933
- Location
- Tamarac, FL
- Resorts Owned
-
Wyndham Presidential Reserve at Panama City Beach
Club Wyndham Access
Grandview Las Vegas and Discovery Beach Resort - Both in RCI Points
Woodstone and Summit at Massanutten - Both in RCI weeks used as Wyndham PICs
We live in the vicinity of Fort Lauderdale and our view from our living room is of a canal and the houses across the canal. This morning we watched an otter chasing the Muscovy ducks and Egyptian geese back and forth through the yards of eight connected townhouses across the canal from us. It got right up close to the houses as the back yards aren't that deep. I called my husband to come out to our back screened lanai to watch with me. We know that otters are playful but it sure didn't look like this otter was playing. It looked desperate to catch a meal. It got close to one of the Egyptian geese but decided not to go after something that big. Muscovy ducks don't get spooked by much so most of the adults just moved a little father away and the chasing went on for quite a while. There were a couple of mama ducks with some ducklings that took to the water. Had the otter gone in the water after them it could have easily grabbed itself a nice duckling meal. Otters are great swimmers but awkward at running so it struck me as very strange to see an otter trying to run down it's prey rather than trying to get it in the water. It had to stop and rest of couple of times. It was kind of sad to watch the poor otter. About an hour later I went back out on the lanai to check on the two ducks in our yard that weren't brave enough to stay on the other side of the canal because they still hadn't moved from where they were sitting. The water level is down in the canal and the otter must have been below the top of the bank were I couldn't see it because I startled it and it dove in the water.
There is a nice lake nearby with no development on one side and some marshy areas and that is where this otter probably came from. There are definitely fish in the canal and we typically see turtles, ibis, egrets, herons and even vultures in the winter months. Once in while we see an iguana, a raccoon and of course gators. Lately all we've been seeing are the Muscovy ducks and Egyptian geese and when that happens I usually figure we have another gator that has gotten bigger. Down the canal from us there is a sunny spot they like to lay in so when one gets bigger one of the homeowners who lives in that section calls and they come out and remove it. Now I'm wondering if the otter may have been hunting this area for at least a week or so.
We thought the otter's behavior wasn't normal so called around until we finally were directed to the Florida Fish and Wildlife office. The person I spoke with was pretty excited that we got to see an otter and yes we were excited but she didn't seem concerned after I said that the animal didn't appear to be injured. We'd been watching it through binoculars. She said it might be pregnant or have babies because it's that time of year. It didn't look pregnant but like I said it did look desperate to catch something. She said they eat a lot and will eat just about anything and I knew that much. Several people on the other side of the canal have small dogs and one is an incessant yapper when they put it outside by itself. I wondered if the otter might find it a tasty meal. She seemed to think it wouldn't go well for the dog if the otter was around when it was out by itself. She wasn't concerned that it had no fear about being that close to the houses. She said to call back if we saw it again and it appeared to be hurt.
So is this normal behavior for an otter or is there cause for concern?
There is a nice lake nearby with no development on one side and some marshy areas and that is where this otter probably came from. There are definitely fish in the canal and we typically see turtles, ibis, egrets, herons and even vultures in the winter months. Once in while we see an iguana, a raccoon and of course gators. Lately all we've been seeing are the Muscovy ducks and Egyptian geese and when that happens I usually figure we have another gator that has gotten bigger. Down the canal from us there is a sunny spot they like to lay in so when one gets bigger one of the homeowners who lives in that section calls and they come out and remove it. Now I'm wondering if the otter may have been hunting this area for at least a week or so.
We thought the otter's behavior wasn't normal so called around until we finally were directed to the Florida Fish and Wildlife office. The person I spoke with was pretty excited that we got to see an otter and yes we were excited but she didn't seem concerned after I said that the animal didn't appear to be injured. We'd been watching it through binoculars. She said it might be pregnant or have babies because it's that time of year. It didn't look pregnant but like I said it did look desperate to catch something. She said they eat a lot and will eat just about anything and I knew that much. Several people on the other side of the canal have small dogs and one is an incessant yapper when they put it outside by itself. I wondered if the otter might find it a tasty meal. She seemed to think it wouldn't go well for the dog if the otter was around when it was out by itself. She wasn't concerned that it had no fear about being that close to the houses. She said to call back if we saw it again and it appeared to be hurt.
So is this normal behavior for an otter or is there cause for concern?