SANParks.org Forums

Mmmmmm. What about catch and release at Rietvlei?

Friedrich I can't agree with you more. I have only seen an otter once in the wild and it was magical. The one here is really special. And he has to find a way to survive too...

I gave Free Me a call and they are very willing to help. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, I'm going to speak to the big bosses today. Wish me luck

Excellent. Well done WAC you don't need our luck...you have the passion (but I'll put my hand in the luck pot for you anyway ) I'm sure it will all work out well.

Please let us know what happened Wild about cats!

I agree with FvH.

Killing the otter is not an option, especially because it fancies non indigenous food that has been brought into its habitat.

There are otters along the Berg River in Paarl, but that is quite a long walk!

When will farmers and the like realize that they are the intruders and not what has roamed and lived there for centuries.

If Rietvlei can support it - there are other predators there - why not?

WAC, I am so happy that Free Me is prepared to help.

They do, as far as I know, have well researched release sights for their "problem" wild animals. Rietvlei might well be on their list.

One of the managers snapped two pictures of him while he was there last week:





(photos taken by Juan Botha)

Still waiting for feedback from the owner... holding thumbs!

Very, very cute.

..at one of the trout dams here in Sabie the otters were blamed for everything, but local employees protecting the dam were fishing it clean..


Save that otter !!

The lady at Free Me said there are many otters roaming the waterways in the area! Glen (we named him Glen after the old whiskey Glen Ord, as he swims in the waters near the bar) seems to have vanished into another waterway for a while...

Also I spoke to the security guard to ask him if he has seen the otter and he told me the otter has been around for many months!

Beautiful shots of Glen!

Horst, some very brash emotions here !

Also, otter are very common and evenly distributed over RSA, if you don't see them it is because you look at the wrong times or you look in the wrong places. . . .

All I can say is thank you to the farmers of South Africa who are protecting more game animals on there farms than all Provintial and National Parks combined - not bad for a buch that "intrudes on nature" - or what do you say Bush Baptist ?
[ OK - I know they don't have as many of the big five as the various parks boards but the farmers are protecting the big five never the less.]

Totally agree 100P

Those farmers who co-exist with and promote nature are the good guys.

The ones who set traps for leopards and poison vultures, and sell rhinos for shooting are the bad guys.

Bush Baptist -

Just wanted to say thanks to everybody who offered support and advice - much appreciated.