Otter behavior

[brianW]

When I have seen otters (both in MA/NH and down here in GA) they seem to be at play most of the time. Mud and snow slides into the water, climbing and diviing off logs near the water. However after watching some diving and climbing on some logs I realized the otter was using the log as a hunting platform. After a fish or a few mussels it would move along the water to another log and repeat the process.

Otters also seem to be adapting well to be close to humans. I have seen signs of and actaul otters along river banks that flow right through towns (Winchendon and Athol, MA) also I walk along the Augusta Canal here in GA (think as southern version of the Lowel canals) and have seen plenty of scat and otters along or in the canal. Behind my house there runs a small creek, about 4ft across, and have seen scat numerous times and seen them "patroling" the banks once.

I have heard from a local kayaker that she had one after playing aroun her boat actually climb on it. I personally would not let my dog swim with them, they are wild animals.

 

[MonadnockVol]

Animals at Play

Interesting thread.

I got my degree in the study of animal behavior. In graduate school they love to drum into your heads the impossibility of really knowing what another species is thinking or feeling (although the attempts to teach apes sign language or a computer communication systems are aimed at just that.)

Behavioral ecologists look at how natural selection shapes behavior and they tend to focus on how play behavior actually increases the chances of survival and reproducing (e.g. play behavior is actually practice for hunting, etc.). But that sort of explanation isn't mutually exclusive with the idea that it also "feels fun" for the animal to play.

Still I've accumulated a few examples of play or a sense of fun in my interactions with animals...

My ex-wife's ex-dog (the dog is dead and I'm divorced from her) played with a coyote several times at Vassar Farm in Poughkeepsie, NY. First the coyote would chase Taz (a Jack Russell) and then Taz would chase it. I kept expecting the coyote to attack but it didn't happen and we didn't see it after those two times.

When I was an undergrad I was doing my senior honors research on the dolphins at Mystic Aquarium (in CT). One night I got a call from the folks at the aquarium that they needed volunteers because there was an emergency. Here's what had happened:

Some not-nice people had captured 12 piebald dolphins off the coast of South America - the first time they had ever been captured. They were put into these coffin-like containers with a little water in each one. 6 were placed in one plane and 6 in another. I believe the ultimate destinations were Germany and Japan but after all these years I could be wrong so please don't try to sue me if you a member the anti-German-Japanese-defamation league.

One of the planes landed at JFK for refueling and the pilot turned them in to the authorities, saying that he was illegally transporting marine mammals. When the customs officials opened the containers it was gruesome. Some of the containers had too much water and the dolphins drowned. One had too little water and the animal had abraided its skin against the bottom and bleed to death. Of the six only two were alive and one didn't appear to be able to swim on its own.

The authorities asked the Mystic Aquarium for help and they cancelled their shows and lowered the depth of the water in one of the two smaller tanks off the main tank to between chest and waist depth. They were asking volunteers to take turns carrying the injured dolphin around the tank in circles.

Of course I grabbed my wet suit and went. So about 2 in the morning I found myself walking around in the water supporting this injured dolphin (don't think flipper, these guys are smaller). I remember being amazed at how calm the dolphin was. Remember these were totally wild animals who had just been through an ordeal yet it didn't struggle at all. Imagine what would happen if you tried to carrying an injured white-tailed deer!

The behavior of the second dolphin was also really interesting. It definitely seemed to be playing with me and the other dolphin. It would swim in front of me and lay across my feet like a dog. Then it would stick it's rostrum (nose) on top of the other dolphin and under my arm and catch a ride around the tank. It was an amazing experience.

After my shift in the tank was over I walked around the aquarium. It was 2 or 3 in the morning, the lights were low. I had never been in the aquarium after closing before and found it pretty cool. As I was standing next to the big tank Alex, the big old beluga whale, grabbed a plastic ring that was floating on the water, swam over and gave it to me. (By the way, I had never worked with these animals as a trainer or anything). Then he went and got another ring and gave that to me. Then he got a third ring but as soon as I grabbed it, Alex sank back into the water without letting go of his side of the ring. He was trying to pull me into the pool! I know there are other explanations but I am personally convinced that Alex decided to play a joke on me and that he set me up with the first two rings and then sprang his trap with the third. Fortunately the ape was too quick for the whale and I let go of the ring in time.

 

[halia and flammeus]

Wow. What a completely amazing story. Thank you so much for sharing it.

I like to believe in "magic" and all kinds of mini-miracles (like that the stranger-beluga would choose to play a trick on you for sheer prankster joy - that's what I define as a miracle in this context). Whether or not there is any reason or evidence to do so is a different discussion (one I'd also enjoy, but probably not here!).

In the summer of '07, we vacationed on Chincoteague Island, and stayed at a place right on the bay. Everyday, I spent at least some time out on the dock, scanning for dolphins. Although it was "gluttony" to keep wishing, as we'd seen the wild ponies, bald eagles, osprey, and an amazing variety of wading birds over the course of the week, I really wanted a dolphin experience.

On our way home from dinner on the last evening of the stay, Flammeus said a silent prayer to the dolphin-creator/director - please let Halia see her dolphin before we leave. He hadn't intervened on my behalf before that, but it was the last night... we got back to the condo, and from the parking area, I saw the disturbance in the bay. I dropped my purse, kicked off my shoes and ran for the dock yelling "dolphins!" And sure enough, about 30!!!!!!!!!!! dolphins visited our section of the bay for about half an hour. Of course I don't think for a moment that it was anything other than coincidence - Flammeus' request and their arrival - but it sure makes for a sweet story.

To be treated to "intimacy" - visual or even closer - with a wild animal is an awesome responsibility. I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences.

 

[woodstrider]

River Otters

While hiking in a certain State Park in recent years I have happily been spotting otters on a regular basis in several different lakes there. They have always been quick to disappear when they became aware of my presence. However, I did speak to someone that was staying at a camp on a lake and she told me that every morning an otter would show up at their dock and hang around. I am sure that it is the same animal that when it "encounters" me (sitting quietly on the shore) at the other end of the lake it will "take off" and display avoidance behavior. I concluded that the animal was much more tolerant of a human's presence at a certain place- a place it has come to associate with humans- then at other places on the lake where humans appear much less regularly.

I felt quite happy that the otters encountered in the wild would seek to avoid me, a human. I was very satisfied to glimpse them from afar, I felt quite priviledged just to know that they are there.

But I worry about any wild animal that comes too close to humans, their pets and their activities. Let me be clear- I am not taking a shot at you or your dog, or even anyone on this website, BUT I think we all can agree that not everybody harbors benign intentions, or even revels in these kinds of encounters, towards the wild animals encountered in the wild.

I think that one of the greatest disservices that we can do our wild life is to allow them to become conditioned to our presence.

On another note; I would never allow my pet to come in contact with a wild animal, just as a preventitive against the spread (either way) of disease.

 

[halia and flammeus]

I think that one of the greatest disservices that we can do our wild life is to allow them to become conditioned to our presence.

That's a tough one. Of course the majesty of the whole encounter relies upon the wild animal remaining wild. Otherwise animals become "nuisance species", which we in the catskills certainly have to deal with - both black bear and white-tailed deer create "nuisances" by becoming inured to human presence.

But here we are (geographically speaking) - humans and animals, side by side. Iske and I weren't venturing off into a state park or hiking when we had our otter experience - it happened at the kids' school bus stop. We live in their world, and they in ours. We can't get the mail without interacting with wildlife. And mostly, the animals we glimpse do take off - the beaver splash and disappear, the heron flies away, the coyote slipped away so stealthily not even my dogs knew it was there. That was what made the otter encounter so noteworthy to me - it was a real anomaly.

I think we can't help but become mutually accustomed to each others' presence. I see it as a responsibility, but one that living in the woods entails. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

Friday morning at the bus stop my daughters watched the entire otter family playing with each other. What a great way to start the day!!!

 

[Hobbitling]

hey, this is my first post. long time lurker.

My take on this is that most animals, especially intelligent or social ones such as otters, coyotes, dolphins etc... can read body language quite well, and can easily tell the difference between a playful dog and a predator.

My guess is that if the dog had shown any sign of aggression, the otter would have instantly picked up on it and been gone in a flash. But heaven help him if he'd actually managed to catch it. An otter could probably easily handle most domestic dogs if it came down to a fight.

 

[halia and flammeus]

welcome to posting look out - it becomes addictive

Re: the otters - I guess that particular otter didn't feel threatened - because just as you said - I am certain it would have disappeared like lightning if it did. Why not - who knows... was Iske just being playful? I don't know - she was chasing, but that is both playful and predatory in the canine world.

Thanks for joining in