Every year about this time, little male otters are given their walking papers by the dominant male and get kicked out of the family. I never told my children how many baby otters I found dead by the side of the road, victims of trying to cross Highway 17. The minimum distance the little fellow had to travel to reach my pond was 2 miles.
I was too busy to notice any footprints on the farm, but yesterday morning early ,while I was doing maintenance, I heard loud chattering coming from the pond. I followed because as far as I knew, there were only frogs in the pond. No fish. No birds. There he was. His brown head ducked under water and all was left was a huge whirl and a submarine trail.
I don’t know much about otters, so I was surprised to find out that most otters die of starvation. Greedy and voracious eaters, they live in a body of water until every single thing to eat is gone. What am I to do? I’ve always been four square against taming wild animals and making them dependent on humans for food, but that pond didn’t have much in it to begin with. Do I let nature take its course? Or do I haul out the cat food and create another problem? If I don’t feed him, he has to hit the road, seeking another food source. I know what awaits him on the road.
Oh no! What a conundrum! I’d be more inclined to set some food out but this is coming from the girl who used to “rescue” lizards and moths and any late hatched ducklings near our house. Goodness knows I’ve sent plenty of money feeding the stray cats in my neighborhood. If you called animal control would they be helpful or just exterminate the little guy?
Good luck figuring this one out!
Big hugs,
Marcela
Hello. splendid job. I did not expect this. This is a splendid story. Thanks!