Otters?

tigger

Banned
Banned
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
9,335
Reaction score
1,692
I saw someone from the RSPB outside our local Pets at Home yesterday, amazingly she was promoting Otters when trying to get people to join, when I asked if she was aware that Otters have been responsible for the deaths of some rare birds including the Bittern her response was that otters don't kill birds, either she really thought that (I find that difficult to believe) or she was being economical with the truth in front of potential members, I know which I believe.


So they kill some birds to eat to survive, they're entitled to do that since they are a indiginous animal that shold be in our rivers and waters.

Now if you where to point out the fact that there are millions of domesticated cats roaming around killing everything from amphibians to mammals to birds purely because their owners claim it's their "instinct, well that's the excuse their owners make. Thing is it's my dogs instinct to chase and kill cats but they don't agree with that, nor do they agre that you should shoot or trap them when they come in your garden killing your pets, crapping al over your garden and spraying leaving an awfull smell all over the freekin' place. Imo cats are the worst threat to nature apart from man...who seems all for cats to destroy the countrys wildlife.
 

thecrow

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
7,607
Reaction score
5
Location
Old Arley home of the Crows
My point was the hypocrisy of the RSPB using the Otter to represent them knowing full well that they have killed some rare birds, birds they purport to be the guardians of.

Your point cats I agree with you, never see anything about their owners not picking up after them, I hate the things.
 

bennygesserit

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
6,046
Reaction score
360
Location
.
I saw someone from the RSPB outside our local Pets at Home yesterday, amazingly she was promoting Otters when trying to get people to join, when I asked if she was aware that Otters have been responsible for the deaths of some rare birds including the Bittern her response was that otters don't kill birds, either she really thought that (I find that difficult to believe) or she was being economical with the truth in front of potential members, I know which I believe.


generally the RSPB seems to have become this self sustaining juggernaut that appears to favour selected wildlife and not all of it especially fish.
 

maggot_dangler

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 12, 2013
Messages
1,330
Reaction score
424
Location
Market Drayton Shropshire
So they kill some birds to eat to survive, they're entitled to do that since they are a indiginous animal that shold be in our rivers and waters.

Now if you where to point out the fact that there are millions of domesticated cats roaming around killing everything from amphibians to mammals to birds purely because their owners claim it's their "instinct, well that's the excuse their owners make. Thing is it's my dogs instinct to chase and kill cats but they don't agree with that, nor do they agre that you should shoot or trap them when they come in your garden killing your pets, crapping al over your garden and spraying leaving an awfull smell all over the freekin' place. Imo cats are the worst threat to nature apart from man...who seems all for cats to destroy the countrys wildlife.

It just so happens i cant stand DOGS and the **** they leave behind them .
It also just so happens i have a cat and the last person whos dog tried to attack one or our cats paid a severe price and had his dog put down by the authorities .

Cats are no more harm to wildlife that say Greyhounds Whippets Lurchers ect ect ect ...

Enjoy your day ..


PG .
 

tigger

Banned
Banned
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
9,335
Reaction score
1,692
It just so happens i cant stand DOGS and the **** they leave behind them .
It also just so happens i have a cat and the last person whos dog tried to attack one or our cats paid a severe price and had his dog put down by the authorities .

Cats are no more harm to wildlife that say Greyhounds Whippets Lurchers ect ect ect ...

Enjoy your day ..


PG .



Oh yeah, them bloody greyhounds, lurchers and whippets are running a muck across the country !!!
 
Last edited:

thecrow

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
7,607
Reaction score
5
Location
Old Arley home of the Crows
It just so happens i cant stand DOGS and the **** they leave behind them .
It also just so happens i have a cat and the last person whos dog tried to attack one or our cats paid a severe price and had his dog put down by the authorities .

Cats are no more harm to wildlife that say Greyhounds Whippets Lurchers ect ect ect ...

Enjoy your day ..


PG .

If your cat roams onto someones property and is killed by a dog the authorities will do nothing at all, they will not order the dog to be put down.

If you do some research you will find that cats are responsible for killing millions of birds every year.

[comment deleted by moderator]
 
Last edited by a moderator:

sam vimes

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2011
Messages
12,242
Reaction score
1,913
Location
North Yorkshire.
I own an air rifle, [comment deleted by moderator].

Now I'm only too aware that you've lead people down this type of garden path before. However, are you seriously advocating and admitting to what is a criminal act (a firearms offence to boot) on a public forum?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

tigger

Banned
Banned
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
9,335
Reaction score
1,692
Now I'm only too aware that you've lead people down this type of garden path before. However, are you seriously advocating and admitting to what is a criminal act (a firearms offence to boot) on a public forum?


Crow hasn't committed any offence at all, he merely pointed out that he has a slug gun and that cats can jump high.

Cats are so highly though of by the powers that be that if you run over one your not even required to stop to scrape it up lol.
 

cg74

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
3,165
Reaction score
8
Location
Cloud Cuckoo Land
If your cat roams onto someones property and is killed by a dog the authorities will do nothing at all, they will not order the dog to be put down.

If you do some research you will find that cats are responsible for killing millions of birds every year.

I own an air rifle.

Maggot Dangler never said where the attack took place, so your opening statement has no relevance.

You are correct, cats do kill many birds annually but figures as to how many comes down to what side of the fence the estimator sits.
I'll also add, I've never seen a cat take down a hare, attack an otter or deer but I've seen dogs doing all three.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

sam vimes

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2011
Messages
12,242
Reaction score
1,913
Location
North Yorkshire.
Crow hasn't committed any offence at all, he merely pointed out that he has a slug gun.

Cats are so highly though of by the powers that be that if you run over one your not even required to stop to scrape it up lol.
Edited by moderator
 
Last edited by a moderator:

thecrow

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
7,607
Reaction score
5
Location
Old Arley home of the Crows
Now I'm only too aware that you've lead people down this type of garden path before. However, are you seriously advocating and admitting to what is a criminal act (a firearms offence to boot) on a public forum?

What you read into my posts is something I have no control over Sam, I merely said I owned and air rifle and commented that cats can jump high, I would never advocate anyone breaking the law and I certainly haven't admitted anything of the sort.

---------- Post added at 14:54 ---------- Previous post was at 14:48 ----------

You are correct, cats do kill many birds annually but figures as to how many comes down to what side of the fence the estimator sits

Perhaps this report by the Mammal Society will convince some of the damage done by domestic cats.

Cats kill 275 million other animals a year

Domestic cats are lethal hunters, killing at least 275 million other animals a year in Britain, a report showed today.

The apparently cuddly pets prey on a number of declining and endangered species, including water voles and dormice, said the Mammal Society.

The survey, called Look What the Cat Brought in, found that the average household cat caught or killed between 30 and 40 creatures a year.

With an estimated nine million pet cats in this country, the haul amounted to 200 million mammals, 55 million birds and 10 million reptiles and amphibians.

Survey co-ordinator Michael Woods said the effect on species already under threat was a "considerable cause for concern".

The society studied records from 964 cats in about 600 households over a five-month period - during which the pets killed more than 14,000 animals.

It found that mice were the most popular prey, with the sample killing 4,196, against 1,949 voles and 946 shrews.

This meant cats killed more than 80 million mice in Britain.

Cats also hunted down larger mammals, including high numbers of rabbits, weasels, stoats and grey squirrels.

But they were very poor at killing rats, having captured only 162 in the survey - probably because the rodents fight back viciously.

But cats also targeted many bats, which are very slow to reproduce, possibly killing 230,000 a year across the country.

Birds were also heavily preyed on, with a total of 3,383 taken by the cats in the survey.

House sparrows were most popular, followed by blue tits, blackbirds, starlings, thrushes and robins.

Frogs, toads, newts, lizards, grass-snakes and slow-worms were the final, items on the cats' menus.

Two-year-old cats killed the most, the survey showed, although some of the best hunters were grizzled eight and nine-year-olds.

Mammal Society chairman Professor Stephen Harris said cat owners should keep their pets indoors at night to ensure the future of British wildlife.

"This survey has given a clear indication of the threats cats pose to Britain's animal populations," he said.

Mr Woods, who is also the society's vice-chairman, added: "Although it is unlikely that cats alone will cause any species to become endangered in Britain, for those which are already under pressure for other reasons, such as thrushes, harvest mice, grass snakes and slow-worms, cats could tip them over the edge.

"Cats can roam up to 1km (over half a mile) away each night and have a home range of 28 hectares.

"It's particularly bad where you have houses being built on the edge of towns by the countryside, near the habitats of many endangered species."


---------- Post added at 14:58 ---------- Previous post was at 14:54 ----------

Maggot Dangler never said where the attack took place, so your opening statement has no relevance.

Let me rephrase that for any pedants that may read it.

If a cat comes into my garden and my dog kills it the authorities can do nothing about it, in fact they would not even be aware of it.

Strange how cat owners always mention how dogs leave a mess behind them (I don't it gets picked up) but say nothing about the filth that roaming cats leave behind on others property, perhaps they think their cat doesn't $**t.
 

kenpm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
130
Reaction score
0
I had my first really close experience of an otter yesterday,I have had them at the end of a keepnet before but this one was about 4 foot away when It appeared in the undergrowth behind my peg,I ignored it as I was trying to remember which pocket my phone/camera was in then it moved towards me to a closer clump of reed less than two feet away.
I reached for my coat and phone and it skipped off into the undergrowth again so I went back to fishing only to see it jump into my landing net head next to me possibly attracted to the scent of fish slime from a Chub I had landed about an hour earlier.
The camera came out and it plopped into the water not to be seen again,this was on the river Dee near Bangor on dee.

At no point was this otter any more wild than my daughters pet cat the way it behaved and I honestly think it was expecting a small Dace or similar to be given to it by me.
It was only a small young animal barely as long as a 3lb Chub including its tail but I can only think it was hand reared by its actions.
We also have mink on this stretch of river and as soon as they see you or smell you they are off like a rocket.
 

tigger

Banned
Banned
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
9,335
Reaction score
1,692
I had my first really close experience of an otter yesterday,I have had them at the end of a keepnet before but this one was about 4 foot away when It appeared in the undergrowth behind my peg,I ignored it as I was trying to remember which pocket my phone/camera was in then it moved towards me to a closer clump of reed less than two feet away.
I reached for my coat and phone and it skipped off into the undergrowth again so I went back to fishing only to see it jump into my landing net head next to me possibly attracted to the scent of fish slime from a Chub I had landed about an hour earlier.
The camera came out and it plopped into the water not to be seen again,this was on the river Dee near Bangor on dee.

At no point was this otter any more wild than my daughters pet cat the way it behaved and I honestly think it was expecting a small Dace or similar to be given to it by me.
It was only a small young animal barely as long as a 3lb Chub including its tail but I can only think it was hand reared by its actions.
We also have mink on this stretch of river and as soon as they see you or smell you they are off like a rocket.

Err I think you've seen a mink, deffo not an otter.
 

kenpm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
130
Reaction score
0
I thought the same at first glance but pretty sure it was an otter as I have seen them before and likewise mink.
We do have mink on the same stretch of river at the moment that have been there for a long time,the otters are a more recent appearance and are a fair distance apart with the mink showing mostly on the opposite bank.
 

tigger

Banned
Banned
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
9,335
Reaction score
1,692
I thought the same at first glance but pretty sure it was an otter as I have seen them before and likewise mink.
We do have mink on the same stretch of river at the moment that have been there for a long time,the otters are a more recent appearance and are a fair distance apart with the mink showing mostly on the opposite bank.



Just for reference mink come in nice chocolate colours as well as black ;).
 

kenpm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
130
Reaction score
0
When it rolled over in the landing net it was pale fawn colour underneath and the tail was shorter and much wider than a mink which confirmed my initial opinion looking at the head mostly.
I think it was hand reared by someone then released when it was considered big enough to fend for itself.
 

The bad one

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
6,114
Reaction score
2,118
Location
Manchester
I had my first really close experience of an otter yesterday,I have had them at the end of a keepnet before but this one was about 4 foot away when It appeared in the undergrowth behind my peg,I ignored it as I was trying to remember which pocket my phone/camera was in then it moved towards me to a closer clump of reed less than two feet away.
I reached for my coat and phone and it skipped off into the undergrowth again so I went back to fishing only to see it jump into my landing net head next to me possibly attracted to the scent of fish slime from a Chub I had landed about an hour earlier.
The camera came out and it plopped into the water not to be seen again,this was on the river Dee near Bangor on dee.

At no point was this otter any more wild than my daughters pet cat the way it behaved and I honestly think it was expecting a small Dace or similar to be given to it by me.
It was only a small young animal barely as long as a 3lb Chub including its tail but I can only think it was hand reared by its actions.
We also have mink on this stretch of river and as soon as they see you or smell you they are off like a rocket.
From this description Ken if what you saw was an otter, which I have my doubts, such an animal would be around 3-4 months old and still suckling from its mother and not yet fully weened. Had it been a rehab otter the contact of the rehabers is kept to the bare minimum to keep them as wild as they possibly can be, so they don't become anthropmophised. Rehabers would not release an otter back into the wild at such a young age and stage of development, as it could not survive on its own. They tend to release them from around 11-12 months old when they are old enough and fit enough to fend for themselves. As Tigger has pointed out to you, Mink come in many shades of brown through to black and with differing breastplates sizes and off white through to cream colouration.
Young mink are very inquisitive creatures and will come very close to people. I've even had them run through my legs several time in the dark whilst sat on my chair.
 
Last edited:

thecrow

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
7,607
Reaction score
5
Location
Old Arley home of the Crows
Strangely enough, the same would apply to any dog that attacked one of my cats. Don't have too many problems with their owners either. Peck Peck Peck


Very true, unfortunately for local cats that has never happened in my garden while the opposite has happened twice, the only problem I have had is getting the cats body off the usually very obedient dog.

I would like to ask you as a cat owner a couple of questions if I may, do you keep your cats indoors or are they allowed to roam? if they roam do you pick their feaces up as responsible dog owners do?
 
Top