Anyone like a stab at identifying!?

[nigel_b]

Captured this with the wildlife cam last night:



This is what is looks like in daylight:



There's otters in this stretch of water and fresh otter spraint about 20m further up the bank.

This was twilight as I was setting the cam:



It's rather a shame I didnt tip the cam down a bit more to trip it a bit earlier but hey ho, early days.

I'm thinking, and hoping, otter. Anyone got any views please?

[Dogghound]

Its an Otter.

[thunder]

The hind leg looks too long for Otter, to me. My vote goes for domestic cat, I'm afraid.

henrya

[faz]

Originally Posted by thunder

The hind leg looks too long for Otter, to me. My vote goes for domestic cat, I'm afraid.

henrya

i would say it is a mustalid i think otter back legs look like otter rather than mink

[Dogghound]

The tail looks to broad for a cat or mink too.

[nigel_b]

Thanks for the thoughts. There's a family of otters in this location which we've seen quite a few times but alas too late in the evening for any real chance of a conventional camera shot.

This location is on a peninsula about three miles from the nearest habitation so I'm thinking domestic cat is unlikely.

Given the location and previous sightings I'm pretty sure it's the female otter, although she doesn't usually have the young far away from her, so maybe it is a male.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by nigel_b

Thanks for the thoughts. There's a family of otters in this location which we've seen quite a few times but alas too late in the evening for any real chance of a conventional camera shot.

This location is on a peninsula about three miles from the nearest habitation so I'm thinking domestic cat is unlikely.

Given the location and previous sightings I'm pretty sure it's the female otter, although she doesn't usually have the young far away from her, so maybe it is a male.

Its quite small, when did they breed? I suspect it could be one of this years young.

[nigel_b]

I haven't seen the young for about 3 weeks. They were quite small when we last saw them so I would guess a mid summer brood? Having said that the young have always been seen together and always with mother around somewhere.

Looking again, and looking at the one with me in by comparison, the otter does look small. I'll try that location with the cam again next Thursday night but pointed down more, or further back. I think the IR has a bit more range in it yet.

[Dogghound]

Size would be about right then. As they get older they get more independant and wander around a bit more on their own.

[~T~]

Cougar maybe, apparently they are quite small.