halia and flammeus
New member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2007
- Messages
- 149
- Reaction score
- 12
Anyone know how otters typically respond to predators?
This morning Iske (canine) decided to swim with the otters - must be the local lack of dolphins. I was floored to see what sure looked like the otter was playing with her: Iske would swim toward the otter. The otter would wait until Is was pretty close, then dive, only to pop up behind her - maybe 5 or 10 feet away. Is would turn around and swim to the new spot. Lather, rinse, repeat. This went on until I came to my senses and realized I needed to act responsible and put a stop to whatever was going on. When I called Iske out of the pond, the otter followed us (we were walking on the shore, the otter swam after us). It kept popping up, and again, my interpretation was that it wanted Iske to go back in - it was teasing or coaxing... or threatening?
Just wondering - is that how otters defeat predators - just tire them out? Or did the otter assume Iske was an oddly-shaped otter because she engaged in the game? Or is this wierd and I should worry that the otter is ill?
And, while I'm asking - why haven't I seen the otter all summer? They were around last winter, and I've seen the beaver all summer, but this is the first otter sighting since snow was on the ground...
H
This morning Iske (canine) decided to swim with the otters - must be the local lack of dolphins. I was floored to see what sure looked like the otter was playing with her: Iske would swim toward the otter. The otter would wait until Is was pretty close, then dive, only to pop up behind her - maybe 5 or 10 feet away. Is would turn around and swim to the new spot. Lather, rinse, repeat. This went on until I came to my senses and realized I needed to act responsible and put a stop to whatever was going on. When I called Iske out of the pond, the otter followed us (we were walking on the shore, the otter swam after us). It kept popping up, and again, my interpretation was that it wanted Iske to go back in - it was teasing or coaxing... or threatening?
Just wondering - is that how otters defeat predators - just tire them out? Or did the otter assume Iske was an oddly-shaped otter because she engaged in the game? Or is this wierd and I should worry that the otter is ill?
And, while I'm asking - why haven't I seen the otter all summer? They were around last winter, and I've seen the beaver all summer, but this is the first otter sighting since snow was on the ground...
H