Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations how bad are otters?

They are day time critters. And they are very smart, hard to trap. Like everything else here in California, you need a permit to trap them. Then once you get that and are lucky enough to catch them you pet them on the head and relocate them to destroy someone elses pond. That is probably where mine came from. We even have guidelines on the type of traps to be used. They are not that shy, you should see them, not tracks. And you should see signs of them, half eaten dead stuff everywhere. I don't mind beavers so much, they are vegetarians. And they are also easy to find. They will make a den, and usually has a hole to the water inside and a slide outside. I have some photos of one near my home. You have to protect your desired trees from them. If you are around beavers at night they will loudly slap thier tail on the water. repeatedly. That is your signal to get lost. During the day they are slightly shy. Otters may play right in front of you. Depends on thier exposure to humans.