Welcome
Otterchat is an online meeting place for otter lovers and anyone who is interested in otters. Please read the About section and enjoy your time here!
Create a topicAll topics
View:
1216 kb jpg
Where do you guys find good sources of otter photos (especially for public domain/free ones)?
Flickr is a good one, but I was wondering if you know about any others...
3505 kb jpg
2122 kb jpg
2480 kb jpg
2229 kb jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=otter&title=Special%3AMediaSearch&type=image&haslicense=unrestricted
has good hodge podge. Some historic pics and high quality ones like this snackulating otts
12120 kb jpg
Otters are cute, but how cute aren't otters in love? ^^
3 replies hidden. Show all
367 kb jpg
4481 kb jpg
1453 kb jpg
1297 kb jpg
109 kb jpeg
cuter together
Sometimes otters end up in places where you wouldn't expect them.
>It emptied a cupboard but, other than that, there was nothing smashed or broken, remarkable reallyA very considerate guest, the otter!
It emptied a cupboard but,
Other than that, there was nothing smashed or broken,
Remarkable really
Speaking of otters in unusual places, have you heard about the wild Asian small clawed-otter population living in Britain?
219 kb jpg
Ottercine: Otter Movie Night
What?
A stream event where we meet and watch otters and other things together. Documentaries, short videos, whatever you like - everyone can add something!
When?
On the last Sunday of every month at 8pm UTC.
Where?
Here: https://cytu.be/r/ottercine
258 replies hidden. Show all
Ottercine tomorrow! I found some things!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL2XUhfs0bc
This one is about otters and decently long, I'm glad it popped up this month because it's been so dire lately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGG7WQFT2lc
I also found this, it's about Lusatia and rewilding former industrial areas. we had watched another doc about something similar and it was nice, so I figured I'd add it to the queue even if we cant watch it this week.
It's ottercine today! Heres what I found this week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTaotXUkpmI
This one is about otters and badgers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL2XUhfs0bc&t=275s
I feel like we have seen this one before, but i cant find it so maybe im jsut going crazy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZOWC81AaIY
This one is in french but it had subtitles. Might not be everyone's cup of tea, totally fair.
Its ottercinne again! I found the below and it seems like a nice one about lots of different otters, but i was kinda wondering if we could perhaps watch on the tracks of the wild otter again? That was my first ottercine and I've been feelin nostalgic lately. We can always watch both, or save it for another time if theres too much to fit into one night. See you tonight!
Inside the Secret Life of Otters - Amazing Family Bonds & Survival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hpftcHE5s0
On the Tracks of the Wild Otter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvIneE_fcHM
Good find like always ! I'd be down to rewatch on the tracks of the wild otter too, otter films never get old
>Rescued by local fishermen as a baby and raised by giant otter expert Carolina Vargas, this is the story of a young giant otter's journey to adulthood.
37 kb jpg
The spotted necked otter (Hydrictis maculicollis) lives in Africa and is more aquatic than other African otters.
I like how these guys always look angry for some reason.
14 replies hidden. Show all
Does a spotted necked otter know that his neck is spotted?
Spotted neck otters are excellent spotters, so I think most could spot when they're neck has been spotted. But I'm sure there are some younger otters whose spotting skills are spotty at best, they might not know.
If a spotted necked otter's neck is spotted and no one is around to spot it, does it have spots?
Well how can it be spotted if no one is around to spot it! Of course the question remains, if you spot the otter but don't spot their spots, are they still spotted?
551 kb jpg
Such a cool otter. Spotted necked otters' eyesight is really good and they tend to hunt by sight even underwater.
509 kb jpg
Welcome!
Please say hello in this thread when you're visiting otterchat.
694 replies hidden. Show all
Hello!
Just been a heck of a month is all. I'm trying to move, work is crazy, I feel like I blink and a week flies by. Hopefully things will calm down again soon, I'm not a speedster after all.
hello!! I'm here from AllChan!!
Hello and welcome!
A place like no otter.
hi
131 kb jpg
Welcome!
This site may still have issues. Please be patient while I figure everything out.
221 replies hidden. Show all
Good idea lol.
I haven't visited here in about 2 years, but my usual chatting ground is... well you know.
Holy crap this captcha is difficult.
Otters are so cute I wish they were real.
These captchas are hard.
Wb, good having you here
Good news otters ARE real but we gotta keep em real iykwim
Is it too hard? Protip it's always 2 correct ones
Thanks, Ottmin! I really love this site!
1289 kb jpg
Do you like this otter? I like how silly they look. Thier spanish name "lobito de río" means "little river wolf." And they have super long tails.
I really like this otter.
>Do you like this otter?You know... it´s an otter! How can you NOT like it?
1674 kb jpg
I did know it's an otter, but not everyone may know. So I made this educational image, informing people that it is an otter.
Awesome, I´d like to see this educational image as a poster on a billboard!
Hey Otters,
happy World Otter Day!
1 reply hidden. Show all
That´s awesome! I would have loved to see that presentation.
I visited Botanika in Bremen today, it´s an asian-style botanical garden with animals, such as Beos, Koi fish as well as Gibbons. Absolutely worth the visit!
And Botanika is also home to Asian Small-Clawed Otters Lotta and Otis als well as their offspring, two female Otters (almost a year old).
On this special day, they got a brand-new raft to play with. It also has some treats hidden inside pipes, as well as under water. The Otters were really excited!
I really wanted to post pictures, but uploading fails everytime I try.
>I really wanted to post pictures, but uploading fails everytime I try.Sorry about thatI fixed some things, try it again?
6144 kb JPG
If it works, you´ll see some happy Otters with their new raft.
That looks like great enrichment for them! I hope they had a great otterday and I'm glad you had a good time getting to see them
How'd the presentation go?
Hey Otters,
yesterday we had a great time at ottercine. There was one question in the chat, which stuck to me: What does being/becoming a certtified otter-spotter entail?
I´ll give some context here, this is part one:
First, there are good news: the Eurasian Otter populations are on the rise. Once almost extinct in major parts of europe, he is back. But there are some challenges:
1. Habitat loss: The good thing is, there is no shortage of Otters, but a shortage of habitats. Eurasian Otters are solitary animals, they only enter another otters territory for mating. But as every Otter should have his own territory, there are not enough suitable landscapes.
2. Human-made dangers: Our modern infrastructure can be hazardous for Otters. As an Otter travels through rivers, to find a new territory or a mate, he needs to cross bridges. They can be a problem, as the otter likes to place spraints at the highest point possible, which is the top of the bridge, where the street is. This often gets the otter killed by traffic. Sometimes there even are no bridges, just a pipe under a road, too narrow or too flooded for otters to pass. This leaves them the only option to cross this section by entering the road.
3. Traffic: I described, why the otter crosses roads, now, what do the numbers say? As Otter the population grows, so are the number of Otters killed by traffic. This still is one of the biggest causes of Otter death in nature.
4. Other dangers:
fish traps: the traditional ones cannot be escaped by the otter, so he drowns in them. (Good news: the Otterzentrum Hankensbüttel helped to design "Otter friendly" fish traps, which have an exit for the Otter, only he can open. Still, this new design is still not used enough.)
Poor to bad water quality: in some regions the water quality is still not good enough to support life. This is true close to cities, where sewer overflows are regularly happening after strong rainfalls. This pollutes rivers with raw sewage, which is toxic to ...
Part two:
Otter Spotters
What can be done, to make life better for otters? This is where Otter spotters are important. We collect data in the field in two ways:
1. random findings: If I´m out in nature, I look for otter signs, such as footprints and spraints. If I find something, I document it by photo or video and enter it into this database: https://www.otterspotter.de/
The good news is: you don´t need to be a certified otter spotter to enter random findings. If you find something, just enter it here.
2. IUCN-Standartized method: this method is applied by otter spotters all throughout europe. There are pre-defined points of interest, which are checked for otter signs in regular intervals. For example, this can be a part of a river, with a bridge. Here only a 600m long downstrem section gets checked, it´s either positive or negative. This method requires some more advanced training, thus, you need to be an otter spotter.
Why is all of that necessary?
1. Keeping track of otter populations: where is the otter now? Science needs this data to better understand the behavior of our Eurasian Otter.
2. Eliminating hazards for the otter: If otter presence is verified by otter spotters, it may be possible to get government funding for making briges more otter friendly and as such, roads safer.
3. Creating safe-spaces: if Otters are positively identified in one area, it even may become a nature reserve.
In the next part, I´ll describe what otter spotter training looks like. Stay tuned!
6080 kb JPG
7968 kb JPG
6208 kb JPG
6720 kb JPG
5600 kb JPG
Part three:
Becoming an Otter Spotter
I registered for the Otter Spotter course at Otterzentrum Hankensbüttel.
This course takes two days.
Last weekend there were over thirty otter interested people of all ages from all over Germany and the Netherlands in Hankensbüttel.
On the first day, we learned a lot about Otter biology and behavior. In theory and practical.
Makes sense, as there were live Eurasian Otters right in the Backyard!
The second day was about finding signs of Otter presence in the field. How to find clues and how to document them.
Also, the IUCN-Standard method was introduced. And yes- you get to smell the spraints! But once you get that smell,
you´ll definetly recognize it in the field. It´s very fishy, with a destinct anise or licorice smell to it.
As practical lessons, we entered an Otter enclosure in small groups to search for spraints and footprints.
The otters were there, too, but were completely unbothered. They briefly watched us and continued ottering around in their pool.
For context: Otterzentrum Hankensbüttel is not your average zoo with classic enclusures.
All mustelids are living in large enclosures which look a lot like their natural habitat, with woodland, ponds, rivers and plenty of hiding spaces. As a visitor, you really need to mind the feeding times, otherwise there is a chance, you don´t see any mustelids. No animal is forced to be on display for visitors.
After getting some experience in an controlled environment such as an otter enclosure, where you´ll definetly find something,
we drove to the river Ise and searched a bridge for otter signs. And found some!
Fresh footprints and spraints. It´s so cool to find something by yourself, I personally try to imagine how the otter was roaming arond
that place.
After two days of otter fun you get your certificate and are an official otter spotter!
Thanks for sharing all this! And congratulations on the certificate.
How much does it cost to become an otter spotter?
And how is the accomidation in the Otterzentrum during the course?
The course costs 100€ for non-members and 50€ for members of Aktion Fischotterschutz. Students get a 10% discount.
Things you need to pay extra: Lunch at the Otterzentrums own Restaurant (if you´re there, you NEED to try it, it is absolutely delicious!) as well as accomodation, which is not at Otterzentrum and have to organize yourself. Drinks, Coffee as well as cake are included in the costs and are available during the course.
Accomodation in the Otterzentrum are only for people serving a voluntary service year.
View: