J Scott Shannon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
otterfamily) wrote2007-05-29 09:04 pm
otterfamily) wrote2007-05-29 09:04 pm
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A new mom and a baby!
I went to Trinidad this evening for the first time in 6 days, and found no new scats whatsoever. Very disheartening. Took my dog for a walk up the head, then returned to the pier about a half hour later.
I glanced over near Halfway Crag, and I was surprised to see an otter swimming right next to the rocks (my first sighting since 4/13). Then I saw a second much smaller otter literally climbing on the back of the first one. I knew what that meant but I could hardly believe it. I raised my binoculars, and uttered "Oh my god," when I saw that it was indeed a mother otter and a new baby!
After just a few seconds, I could tell the female was NOT Nova. This was a full-grown otter, at least 4 years old, and from the way she was attending to her baby, she was obviously an experienced mother. The mom and pup swam toward the pier for a short time; long enough for me to get a good look at the mother's face. She had a clearly visible white crescent over her upper lip, and the pup was plain-faced.
I got to watch them for about 15 minutes total when the mother took her pup up Den Crag, and dragged it by the scruff up into the brush and out of sight. Good mom! Wow, I could hardly believe it. I'd just made up my mind that it was all over at Trinidad, when this miraculous apparition appeared! I never thought I'd see a baby otter again, or a mother with pups. I am so happy I was wrong!
I'll miss Nova, though. I was just getting to know her. Now that there's a mother otter in residence here, though, I'm sure I'll never see her again...
I glanced over near Halfway Crag, and I was surprised to see an otter swimming right next to the rocks (my first sighting since 4/13). Then I saw a second much smaller otter literally climbing on the back of the first one. I knew what that meant but I could hardly believe it. I raised my binoculars, and uttered "Oh my god," when I saw that it was indeed a mother otter and a new baby!
After just a few seconds, I could tell the female was NOT Nova. This was a full-grown otter, at least 4 years old, and from the way she was attending to her baby, she was obviously an experienced mother. The mom and pup swam toward the pier for a short time; long enough for me to get a good look at the mother's face. She had a clearly visible white crescent over her upper lip, and the pup was plain-faced.
I got to watch them for about 15 minutes total when the mother took her pup up Den Crag, and dragged it by the scruff up into the brush and out of sight. Good mom! Wow, I could hardly believe it. I'd just made up my mind that it was all over at Trinidad, when this miraculous apparition appeared! I never thought I'd see a baby otter again, or a mother with pups. I am so happy I was wrong!
I'll miss Nova, though. I was just getting to know her. Now that there's a mother otter in residence here, though, I'm sure I'll never see her again...