Early March, 2017 Pacific Northwest
A lone otter at this time of year might be a female scouting out a den for starting this year’s family. I haven’t seen one yet this year doing that.
Meanwhile these two buddies were out fishing recently. One watched me as the other one wrestled a good sized fish. They don’t compete for the fish — finders keepers — and appear to work cooperatively, the other keeping an eye on a possible predator like me, especially when they are very close to shore like this.
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We’ve been having rainy days lately in the PNW islands….grey skies even when we get the occasional break in the rain. Still, if it’s not too windy, the wildlife will be out doing their thing in the bays.
Denning season
If you live near the shore, this is a good time to check around the perimeter of your house and seal it off. Otters are fond of crawlspaces and if they like your place they’ll be there into the summer. I’ve heard horror stories of yowling and messy smelly otter ”kitchens”.
From Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, about River Otters:
Two to four pups are born March through May.
Young otters begin playing at four weeks of age and learn to swim at about seven weeks of age. When eight to ten weeks of age, the pups begin exploring beyond their den and are introduced to solid food.
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Den sites include hollow logs, log jams, piles of driftwood or boulders, and abandoned lodges and bank dens made by nutria or beaver.
Dens are well hidden; those located at the water’s edge will have an entry far enough below the surface to prevent it from being seen and/or frozen shut.
River otters also den under boathouses, duck blinds, and other human structures up to ½ mile away from water. Otters normally occupy a den site for only two or three consecutive nights. However, during the mating and nesting season, females are attracted to warm, dry, dark, easily defended areas, and will remain longer if the setting remains favorable.
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Eliminate access to convenient denning sites. Close potential entries under porches, houses, sheds, and other structures with ¼-inch mesh welded-wire (hardware cloth), boards, or other sturdy material (Fig. 7). Aluminum flashing, or aluminum or stainless-steel hardware cloth is recommended in saltwater areas since galvanized materials quickly corrode.
And don’t forget we’re moving into raccoon denning season too!
They roam even farther afield than otters, including suburban areas. Around here they give birth closer to May usually but some parts of the NW can expect them earlier.
Breeding: Raccoons typically give birth anytime from March through mid-August and litter size ranges from one to seven, with three to five the usual. Young are weaned at approximately two months of age and may remain with the mother through the first winter before moving out of the birth area in search of new homes.
Habitat: Dens are used for shelter and raising young. They include abandoned burrows dug by other mammals, areas in or under large rock piles and brush piles, hollow logs, and holes in trees. Raccoons also take advantage of available attics, crawl spaces, chimneys, and abandoned vehicles for use as den sites.
— www.cityoflfp.com/...
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