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Otters at Napton


Victor Vectis

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20 minutes ago, Graham and Jo said:

Our mooring is next to the reservoir, will I need to climb over the fence?

If they are putting up a fence that an otter can't get over, under, through, or round then it's quite likely nothing else will either - including you ?

Edited by Tumshie
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5 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

If they are putting up a fence that an otter can't get over, under, though, or round then it's quite likely nothing else will either - including you ?

Nooooooo, we need to start a protest, who wants to go and live up a tree so they can't start work. 

 

Just another thought, do you think they need to fix the leak first? It is hard to walk to the boat without wanting to go to the loo because of the trickling water sound. C&RT assure me it isn't a problem and that I won't wake up in the reservoir one night.

 

Cheers Graham 

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30 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

If they are putting up a fence that an otter can't get over, under, through, or round then it's quite likely nothing else will either - including you ?

Surely that depends on the size of any holes/gaps in the fence.  Mink are such a danger to water Voles as they can get down the burrows.  Does this fence have no Mink sized holes in it?  If it does they will do more harm than any Otters.

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Just now, Jerra said:

Surely that depends on the size of any holes/gaps in the fence.  Mink are such a danger to water Voles as they can get down the burrows.  Does this fence have no Mink sized holes in it?  If it does they will do more harm than any Otters.

I have no idea, I've never seen an actual otter fence but they are tenacious so any fence would need to prison like. Where mink are concerned I couldn't agree more especially the American ones they are the real problem to wild life. People who stock ponds etc for sport fishing aren't too keen on otters and I wonder if this is actually about that. 

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15 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

I have no idea, I've never seen an actual otter fence but they are tenacious so any fence would need to prison like. Where mink are concerned I couldn't agree more especially the American ones they are the real problem to wild life. People who stock ponds etc for sport fishing aren't too keen on otters and I wonder if this is actually about that. 

Two thoughts.  First aren't all mink in the UK "American" (i.e. of that species).  Second I would agree it is more likely to be to do with fish stocks but it is seen as better PR to say "small wildlife" than they are eating our fish.

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1 minute ago, Jerra said:

First aren't all mink in the UK "American"

Could be..... I thought that the ones let loose from the fur farms by the animal rights peeps :rolleyes: were the American ones and that there were other kinds too. Could be wrong - it's not unheard of :D

Just now, Graham and Jo said:

They are good at dams aren't they, can they fix the leak?

:D Yes!

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56 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

Could be..... I thought that the ones let loose from the fur farms by the animal rights peeps :rolleyes: were the American ones and that there were other kinds too.

There is a European Mink also known as Russian Mink but as far as I know all the UK ones are from fur farms and so American.  Apart from a small population (possibly) in France the main range is to the east of Germany.

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Just now, Jerra said:

There is a European Mink also known as Russian Mink but as far as I know all the UK ones are from fur farms and so American.  Apart from a small population (possibly) in France the main range is to the east of Germany.

The good thing about being wrong is the learning something new. :D

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1 minute ago, Tumshie said:

The good thing about being wrong is the learning something new. :D

You weren't wrong.  The ones in UK were escape/let lose from fur farms and hence American.  However there are other sorts as well.  Just what you said.  Only the other sort aren't in the UK.  Incidentally there was a small population of mink (from escapes) before the animal rights loonys did so much environmental damage by releasing them.

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Two weeks ago in Norfolk the owner of lake I was on (32 acres) with a perimeter of 1.25 miles told me he spent £65k to

fence his lake and he supplied the posts. That was a decade ago. Had to put the fence 600mm below surface and crank it at top by 45degrees. He was less than a mile from the otter sanctuary so protected his livelyhood him and his father has built up over many decades.

Edited by mark99
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20 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Two weeks ago in Norfolk the owner of lake I was on (32 acres) with a perimeter of 1.25 miles told me he spent £65k to

fence his lake and he supplied the posts. Had to put the fence 600mm below surface.

I can believe that - if an otter found a big pond / lake with all those fish in one place it would get very excitable and they are so determined that they would just keep returning plus they are really clever and won't be fooled by much. That is not really an otters natural environment and they are not always so destructive they are an important part of our country side, but I can also understand the frustration if a business is suffering. 

 

Edited by Tumshie
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1 minute ago, Tumshie said:

I can believe that - if an otter found a big pond / lake with all those fish in one place it would get very excitable and they are so determined that they would just keep returning plus they are really clever and won't be fooled by much. That is not really an otters natural environment and they are not always so distractive, they are an important part of our country side, but I can also understand the frustration if a business is suffering. 

 

Otta lotta people know that. 

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10 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Two weeks ago in Norfolk the owner of lake I was on (32 acres) with a perimeter of 1.25 miles told me he spent £65k to

fence his lake and he supplied the posts. That was a decade ago. Had to put the fence 600mm below surface and crank it at top by 45degrees. He was less than a mile from the otter sanctuary so protected his livelyhood him and his father has built up over many decades.

It is a commercial business and as such has to take precautions, just as when we were in the jewellery trade we spent a lot on burglar alarms, CCTV, special windows etc.

 

It isn't the Otters fault that they have managed to recover from persecution and pollution.  The fence is just one of his costs of doing business just like our security was for us.  He will factor it into his charges.

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