Now that the river otter's population is recovering, some worry that they are plundering fish farms. The proposed solution to this problem is stirring up some debate. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
There have been many wildlife success stories in the region. For instance, the numbers of white-tailed deer and Canada Geese have rebounded so strongly that many consider them pests. Now, another animal is being added to that list. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Cohen reports on the rebound of the river otter:
Transcript
There have been many wildlife success stories in the region.
For instance, the numbers of white-tailed deer and Canada Geese
have rebounded so strongly that many consider them pests. Now,
another animal is being added to that list. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Bill Cohen reports on the rebound of the river otter:
In the late 1980’s river otters were so rare in Ohio that wildlife officials imported 123 of the animals and released them along rivers and streams. Now, it’s estimated that Ohio has more than 4,000 river otters. Dave Scott helps track the Ohio numbers for the Natural Resources Department.
“River otters are a really neat success story. And like some other wildlife things, they’ve done better than anticipated.”
In fact, so much better that the otters in Ohio are now being blamed for eating up fish in stocked ponds and in farm lakes where fish are raised for sale. That’s why wildlife officials are now proposing a trapping season here next winter. Trappers value river otters for their fur and back the idea of a trapping season but animal protection activists oppose it. They say the foothold traps that are used are inhumane.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Bill Cohen in Columbus.