Otters - swap your mole for one
Discussion
My Dad has around 30 Koi that he has collected over the last 10 years. Some are now quite large and expensive.
Fortunately, there is a small stream running along the bottom of the garden and also a large man made pond. Further up the garden and right near the house is the Koi pond.
Unfortunately, a bloody otter has dcided he likes the Koi better then the regular goldfish in the pond.
So far he has taken 5 Koi valued at around £28k. Dad has found various Koi parts left behind. The snow has helped as the otter has left tracks back down to the stream.
Not sure what to do though...there is a electric wire fence now around the Koi pond but this hasnt stopped the bugger. We dont want to (and legally cant) harm him and all that is left is a cage trap and then, once caught, release him elsewhere (God knows where).
Now, I remember Terry Nutkins from off of the wildlife TV programmes had one of his fingers bitten off by an otter, so the whole carrying the cage bit is worrying. Looking at the size of the paw prints and size of the fish he has taken, the otter is the size of a small/medium dog..
Anyone dealt with otters before? Anyone recommend someone to help. RSPCA dont want to know...
KevF said:
So far he has taken 5 Koi valued at around £28k.
Sell the Koi. With the resulting funds buy sports cars.In order to keep the otter out you would need to carry out a programme of fortification that will utterly nullify any benefit in keeping a pond populated with beautiful fish.
Are you sure it's an otter? Not a mink?
Trap and release probably means he'll be back or something else will fill the vacuum...
Don said:
KevF said:
So far he has taken 5 Koi valued at around £28k.
Sell the Koi. With the resulting funds buy sports cars.In order to keep the otter out you would need to carry out a programme of fortification that will utterly nullify any benefit in keeping a pond populated with beautiful fish.
Are you sure it's an otter? Not a mink?
Trap and release probably means he'll be back or something else will fill the vacuum...
Aren't otters pretty rare? I'd be pretty chuffed if I had an otter living in the garden (Admittedly less so if it was eating fish that made caviar look like a bargain.)Oh stop carping on 
In order to keep the otter out you would need to carry out a programme of fortification that will utterly nullify any benefit in keeping a pond populated with beautiful fish.
Are you sure it's an otter? Not a mink?
Trap and release probably means he'll be back or something else will fill the vacuum...Aren't otters pretty rare? I'd be pretty chuffed if I had an otter living in the garden (Admittedly less so if it was eating fish that made caviar look like a bargain.) I've never seen one in the wild.
Bill said:
Don said:
KevF said:
So far he has taken 5 Koi valued at around £28k.
Sell the Koi. With the resulting funds buy sports cars.In order to keep the otter out you would need to carry out a programme of fortification that will utterly nullify any benefit in keeping a pond populated with beautiful fish.
Are you sure it's an otter? Not a mink?
Trap and release probably means he'll be back or something else will fill the vacuum...
Aren't otters pretty rare? I'd be pretty chuffed if I had an otter living in the garden (Admittedly less so if it was eating fish that made caviar look like a bargain.) I've never seen one in the wild.Otters can be right pain in the arse - one of the lakes I used to fish had it's stock of large carp (35lb+ fish) utterly decimated by a couple of otters that got settled in the adjascent river.
The guy who owned the lakes was utterly distraught - some of the fish were over 40 years old and it destroyed a family business in months The otters didn't even eat all of the fish - couple of bites and left the carcass to rot on the bankside.
I don't think that there is anything that you can do about it to be honest - they are a very protected species.
The guy who owned the lakes was utterly distraught - some of the fish were over 40 years old and it destroyed a family business in months The otters didn't even eat all of the fish - couple of bites and left the carcass to rot on the bankside.
I don't think that there is anything that you can do about it to be honest - they are a very protected species.
When I was a teen one of our Siamese cats took a liking to a neighbour's koi, munched a few, they came round and complaied etc. One day he came back totally drenched, apparently they saw him fall in while fishing (they probably shouted at him and made him jump/slip). He didn't go back again. I doubt this would stop the otter though...
How about the Jasper Carrot mole solution?
How about the Jasper Carrot mole solution?
Sorry to hear about the fish.
As said, otters are a protected species and anyone dealing with otters needs to be under a licence, issued by Natural England / Scottish Natural Heritage (wherever you happen to be). Your best bet would be to put up exclusion fencing so they can't get to the pond but you're best off contacting the aforemetioned (protected species dept) for advice first before you do anything. Good luck
As said, otters are a protected species and anyone dealing with otters needs to be under a licence, issued by Natural England / Scottish Natural Heritage (wherever you happen to be). Your best bet would be to put up exclusion fencing so they can't get to the pond but you're best off contacting the aforemetioned (protected species dept) for advice first before you do anything. Good luck
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