Just you wait

[JV44]

Seen a dog Otter twice right in the middle of Reding on the most urban bit of the Kennet ,not sure if like Foxes they have learned not to fear man or it's saved Cubs being released after hand rearing if mum gets squished by a car in flooding conditions ,love seeing Otters but worry that there are 5 or 6 seen as a group on the lower be tons bit of the Kennet .....just the numbers thing as a group

[Rusty]

This, by the way, is why demanding otter culls is a hiding to nothing - none of us are as cute, and nor are carp;

 

https://www.facebook.com/awvvhouse/videos/510876182449423/

Them's barbel pellets.

[Steve Walker]

I guess if they spend enough time round man they learn not to fear us. I wonder if the abundance of crays is enabling them to live at higher population densities - or if they're eating commercial fish somewhere.

[Vagabond]

It was received wisdom in Norfolk when I were a lad that otters' favourite food was eels,

.

Now isn't there an "eels are endangered" industry ? Enlist their support against otters ?

 

But a bit of a non-starter though, eel are also low on cuteness - ask Steve W

[Steve Walker]

 

I love eels!

 

Just not raw, unless in a Japanese restaurant

[Anderoo]

I've spent a bit more time at the little river, plenty more trout to mayflies and as the coarse fish gather to spawn and feast on mayflies I've had a very good look at the overall fish population. Lots of chub of all sizes, plenty of dace, stacks of minnows. Nature always finds a balance in the end.

 

The rivers here are in fantastic condition this spring. For a few years they were painfully low and there were very few fish evident. As soon as there's a decent amount of water, good flow, good weed growth and plenty of insect life, suddenly there are all the fish again.

 

I suspect people may be very surprised at the size of the fish population in a 'decimated' river. I'd put money on there being other reasons why the fish are not seen or caught, I bet in most cases they're still there somewhere.