how to get rid of otters in my pond

[marinakirsten]

Hello! This question is not necessarily about poultry but didn’t know where else to find my answer!

We have river otters. always have! one year we let the ducks we had at the time free range and in one day the otters tore 5/8 of our ducks to shreds didn’t even eat them or anything, just mamed them and beheaded them. mean little sh*ts.

As sad as it is, my father shot at the family and killed a couple of them and the rest scurried away and we didn’t see them again. slowly but surely the remaining 3 ducks started dying off from other predators and we were duckless for 2 years. during those 2 years we didn’t see a single otter again, so decided to get ducks again!

Well of COURSE, to my luck, as SOON as we get new ducks, we spot a family of otters living in my pond again. LUCKILY I had not begun letting my ducks out to the pond and they have been restricted to their coop and run. but now my question is, how the HELL do I get rid of or deter these nasty things?!! Is there someone I could call to remove them from my property? I hate the idea of killing them, and even if i was on board with killing them, there’s like 6 or 7 of them and it would just take ages to kill them all. I don’t know what to do to get rid of them or keep them out, and I want my ducks to be able to use the pond. their coop was built right next to the pond so they could use it and now I can’t let them out

help please!

 

[Bac2wild]

Different laws for different places. You should contact your local Fish & Wildlife or Dept. of Natural Resources, for laws and maybe a list of removal (trappers) experts that may "relocate" them. But more will keep coming back so that is only an answer to your problem if you fence them out. Maybe a combo of fence and electric wire. Depends on size of pond and ownership.

 

[Saveria]

I think that it may be minks you are seeing. Or are they called river otters?

 

[StinkyAcres]

I think that it may be minks you are seeing. Or are they called river otters?

While it is rare for otters to kill ducks, they will if given the chance. But mink will also kill ducks. Mink and North American River Otters are completely different species. Mink are a little over a foot long and otters are 3-5 feet long.