OTTERS' HAUNT

Why 'Otters' Haunt'?

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We gave our place its name quite simply because two species of otters frequent the pools in front of the property and are glimpsed among the islands. The property was previously called the Deer Ranch after the European fallow deer the former owners kept here - we thought that was an inappropriate name indeed. One of the first things we did when we got here was make a mosaic of an otter on the tiled floor of the River House: Karen was the artist and her work can be seen at right. To see the finished job, you have to visit!

The otters are such welcome visitors, though shy, that we are constantly on the lookout for the privilege of a call from one family or another. All otters are sleek, have cheeky faces, and thick glossy fur. Otters are extremely difficult to see close-up because they dive and swim away at the first sign of an intruder. When they are alarmed they secrete a dark-brown smelly liquid. Otters are related to the mink, weasel, skunk and badger.

SIGHTINGS AT OTTERS' HAUNT

We have had many sightings, and a couple of close encounters. Once, when Graeme and Shadow were crossing the bridges to Silver Island early one morning, a big male otter was perched on the end of the first bridge. Instead of running off, he turned and made an aggressive hissing noise, then casually slipped into the water and swam towards us. He popped up just a metre away and made the same fierce noise, looking directly at us, and after about a minute of this, during which we stood dead still, he turned and swam off to a nearby rock. There he drew himself up and sat watching us until we moved, then he slid into the water and disappeared. During all of this, Shadow - who normally gets very excited and barks at strange animals like leguaans - stayed tjoepstil (good Afrikaans phrase meaning nervously silent). For my part, I wished I had had my camera because there has never been a better opportunity to photograph an otter around here.

Another time, Karen and friends saw a family of six otters crossing the rocks in front of the sundeck. We have seen them swimming in the deeper channels, obviously fishing, and going up the banks to their "holt" (hole in the ground where they nest). Graeme has paddled over an otter fishing in a rapid, and the animal surfaced next to the canoe with an expression on its face as if to say: "Go away! What are you doing here anyway?"

Spotted-necked otter  (Lutra maculicollis)

Possibly the best swimmer amongst the freshwater otters (there are sea otters too), this is a relatively small creature, the males being about a metre long from nose to tail, weighing 4-6.5kg, and the females are 10% smaller. It has webbed paws with small but strong claws, and a long tapered tail for swimming. It gets its name from the lighter, mottled fur below on its throat and chin. This otter has good eyes and hunts by sight, grabbing prey with its claws. It goes after fish, crabs and frogs, insect larvae, water bird chicks and molluscs, and eats them on the surface of the water rather than bringing them to land. These hunting habits distinguish it from the Cape Clawless otter. It tends to be noctural, hunting at night, but may be seen during the day too. 

More information: http://www.otterjoy.com/OTTERINFO/Lutra_maculicollis.html

Cape Clawless otter (Aonyx capensis)

This otter merits both of its names - "clawless" and (in Afrikaans) Groototter (or big otter). It also has no claws and only slightly webbed feet, making its hands very similar to those of monkeys. The males are about 1.3 metres long and can weigh up to 14kg. The Cape Clawless otter is longer, very much heavier and lacks the neck spots of its cousin. It is a noctural hunter going after crabs and molluscs, as well as fish, lizards and birds, eating on land. This species is less acquatic than the Spotted-necked variety, which means it spends more time out of the water, although it too is a very good, strong swimmer. Cape Clawless are very playful otters, often indulging in mock fights and playing with sticks and stones. This probably helps the family to co-ordinate in the event of an attack, and it teaches the young to be agile and clever. The otter is a member of the weasel family, and its body closely resembles other members of the family. The Cape Clawless otter’s cheeks and neck are white, and its upper coat is dark brown. Unlike some otters, it has almost no webbing on its feet, which is unusual for an amphibious animal. It has a thick, short, waterproof coat and a sleek body shape that allows it to glide through the water. The main predator of this otter is the python.

More information: http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Cape_Clawless_Otter.asp

http://itech.pjc.edu/sctag/extra/ACOtter.html