Filming Otters

deer boy · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:21 PM

Hi everyone

I'm hoping to film otters this year,i know a location where otters have been seen & was hoping u could give me some tips.
I know there mainly nocturnal but when do they have young & when are they mating ect.
And whats the best time of year to look for otters

NaganoKen · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 07:59 PM

Hi deer boy,
This is the advice I've gathered from reading on the subject:

Highest chance of seeing them comes in the hour or two after dawn / before dusk.
Autumn offers a marginally better chance of seeing them (because there's less vegetation cover?).
Wait for calm water conditions, best soon after it's rained.
Coastal otters are more active on the falling tide as prey becomes exposed in rock pools.
For river otters, a vantage point above the river - such as a bridge - is ideal.
Otters have poor eyesight but very sensitive hearing, so keep quiet and be patient.
You need to be lucky.
While you're waiting for otters to appear, the sounds of the river will make you need the toilet (or is that just me?)
Otters always appear five minutes after you gave in and went off home to the toilet (I'm certain of this).

In many, many years of trying to see wild otters I've only managed twice, so maybe the above advice isn't much use. However, both my sightings came in autumn, from a bridge overlooking a calm river, soon after rain. On the other hand, the otter didn't seem to have sensitive hearing as a woman watching from the same bridge was shouting "THE OTTERS ARE HERE! THE OTTERS ARE HERE!" to her husband. I managed to get some film on my video camera, but it was a bit blurred and shaky, so I keep going back to the same spot for more. One day I'll get lucky, I'm sure...

As for having young, well again going from what I've read, it can happen at any time of year as the bitch comes into season every 40-45 days or so, for a 14 day period. The gestation period is around 9 weeks and between 1 to 4 cubs are born. Cubs will stay in the holt for their first 7 weeks or more, not taking their first swim until around 12 weeks old. They will stay with their mother until they're about 1 year old, during which time the dog otter will generally keep away in order to avoid being attacked by a mother over-possessive of her cubs (although he may join up with his family for short periods during this time). Because of the length of time during which cubs are dependent on their mother, she is unlikely to have more than one litter in a year.

I hope something in the above is of use, and I wish you the very best of British luck. Let us know when you get one on film!