Over the last few weeks I have hardly seen Otto. I reckon he is spending a lot of time away. This week he has hardly touched the fish I have been leaving for him. In the last week I have seen him twice, the second time being tonight. Tonight I spent a couple of hours in his company and watching his behaviour. I tried to get him to follow me down to the bay to no evail. He seems to reach a certain point where he will tread no further. I've been thinking that possibly in Ottos travels he has had a run in with another male otter who already has a territory...ie Clabbach bay. In my mind, this makes sense. Why else would he not go beyond a certain point.
On my arrival home this evening (after the pub) I called his name for a few minutes until he appeared. He was not interested in the fish I put out. Instead he wanted to wrestle. After playing for over an hour I decided to make no effort in communication and instead I sat and watched. At night I use a torch, but never shine it directly on him. After a couple of minutes it was as if I was a fly on the wall.
I watched him closely for another hour, watching him investigate various things.Amongst many things, I observed him climb the roadside wall and run along it like an acrobat, sniffing as he went. He climbed off the wall and snuggled up in the rough grass next to an old fence post. He tried various positions until he found the comfiest and went to sleep. Once asleep I crept away, making sure not to disturb him.
I was always under the assumption that otters always slept in one of their several holts. Ottos behaviour tonight kind of questions this fact. When I headed back into the house he was fast asleep, in the open, without a care in the world...amazing!
nearly 3am...off to bed myself.
