An “otter massacre” in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, has left a local man devastated after losing his prized collection of Japanese koi carp, estimated to be worth nearly $13,000. The incident occurred on private property where the resident had been raising the koi for about 40 years.
The koi owner initially believed that a heron was responsible for the killings after finding all of the 25 fish dead or missing. However, upon sharing images of the scene online, he and others began to suspect otters were the culprits. He said he found the fish in various states, some decapitated, and others with tails and fins torn off.
Local officials investigated a similar case involving another koi owner in the area who believed otters had targeted their fish. They reported additional fish pond attacks in communities about three hours south of the Scottish community.
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Authorities recommend using electric or mesh fencing to keep predators at bay. They strongly advise against killing these wild animals, which under U.K. law is punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a fine.
Lawmakers enacted those legal measures to help safeguard these animals in the 1950s and 1960s. Because of those safeguards, populations have recovered. Scotland is now home to some of the densest populations of Eurasian otters in the world.
The International Otter Survival Fund’s director, Grace Yokon, acknowledged the likelihood that otters were responsible for the recent koi deaths. She advises fish owners to take preventive measures. Raising koi and other fish outdoors, she noted, could inadvertently attract otters seeking an easy meal.
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“It’s important that anyone who has ponds with koi carp or any other fish in, that they understand that basically what they’ve got is a feeding table,” Yokon said. “If you leave a table out with sandwiches and nice cakes on it, and come back, they are not going to be there – and anyone who has these ponds has got to protect them.”
Meanwhile, the koi owner affected by the recent incident is unsure of whether or not he will raise more fish. He believes the otters could return.
[Jack]
IT’S BEEN DESCRIBED AS AN OTTER MASSACRE.-
CAUSING ALMOST THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE TO ONE U.K. MAN’S PRIZED FISH COLLECTION.
THE RESIDENT OF EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE, SCOTLAND HAD BEEN RAISING A SCHOOL OF JAPANESE KOI CARP ON HIS PROPERTY FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.
BUT RECENTLY HE DISCOVERED ALL 25 FISH HAD BEEN KILLED-
REMOVED FROM THEIR POND AND SCATTERED ABOUT HIS BACKYARD-
WITH SOME HAVING BEEN BEHEADED AND OTHERS WITH TAILS OR FINS RIPPED OFF.
INITIALLY THE MAN BELIEVED THE KOI HAD BEEN ATTACKED BY A HERON-
HOWEVER, AFTER POSTING IMAGES OF THE CARNAGE ONLINE, HE BECAME CONVINCED THAT OTTERS WERE THE CULPRIT.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAID THEY’VE SEEN ONE OTHER RECENT CASE WHERE A KOI OWNER IN THE AREA BELIEVED THEIR FISH HAD BEEN TARGETED BY OTTERS-
WHILE SEVERAL OTHER ATTACKS ON PEOPLE’S FISH PONDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ABOUT THREE HOURS SOUTH OF THE SCOTTISH COMMUNITY.
OFFICIALS ARE ADVISING PEOPLE WHO RAISE THESE FISH TO PROTECT THEM FROM THREATS LIKE THIS WITH ELECTRIC AND MESH FENCING-
AS KILLING AN OTTER IS PUNISHABLE BY UP TO SIX MONTHS IN PRISON UNDER U.K. LAW.
THESE LEGAL MEASURES ARE AIMED AT PROTECTING THE COUNTRY’S OTTER POPULATIONS-
WHICH WERE EXTINCT THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE COUNTRY ONLY 60 YEARS AGO.
NOW SOME AREAS OF SCOTLAND ARE SAID TO BE HOME TO THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF EURASIAN OTTERS IN THE WORLD.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL OTTER SURVIVAL FUND AGREES THE SPECIES MAY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE LATEST KOI DEATHS.
WARNING OTHER FISH OWNERS THAT RAISING THE ANIMALS OUTSIDE IS AKIN TO SETTING UP A FEEDING TABLE FOR OTTERS.
MEANWHILE, THE MAN WHO LOST HIS KOI SAYS HE’S UNSURE ABOUT RAISING MORE FISH IN THE FUTURE-
OUT OF FEAR THAT THE OTTERS MAY RETURN.
JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
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