About a week ago, we noticed some unusual tracks near our house. They were bigger than cat prints, and too rounded for dog or fox prints. An online search made me wonder if it was a river otter. Down at the drainage ditch about 1/4 mile away, several well established track paths went from brushy patches down to the water.
This photo is washed out but it shows the tracks going from one side of the ditch, along the ice, and up the other side. None of the tracks extends very far beyond the edge of the ditch so it is definitely not dogs or deer. It is something that is living in the river bank or under the brush.
River otters are happy living near beavers and beavers regularly damn up this waterway. In fact, I startled a beaver resting on the ice a couple of weeks ago. I have never seen an otter in the wild but they tend to be nocturnal so that's no surprise. According to the internet, the otters are fairly common, just not seen very often. Welcome to the neighbourhood, Mr. (Mrs.) Otter, if it is you!
The otter is a good guess. The tracks by the water seem to suggest it.
ReplyDeleteOtters usually mark their territory by leaving their droppings (spraints) on prominent rocks or similar places. If you sniff otter poo it has a surprisingly pleasant musky smell. They are still uncommon here having been hunted into near extinction in the past, but they are slowly coming back.
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