And some heartwarming: a lovely video sent by Merilee, who saw it on PawsMyGosh. The YouTube notes say this:
An elderly man has struck up an adorable friendship with an otter. Seppo Laamanen, 65, and Iivari the otter became inseparable after he appeared at Seppo’s doorstep in 2011. Small and malnourished, Seppo fed him and worms and fish. And the adorable otter repaid his kindness by always visiting Seppo at his home in Punkaharju in eastern Finland.
I have to say that I can appreciate the man’s special bond with the otter, and the fact that it shies away from other people. This is to some extent the case with my mallards, and I sort of like the fact that I’ve won their trust.
But can’t he thaw the fish?
I though5 that perhaps the fish were dried, not frozen?
Maybe they are. I don’t know from fish.
The fish are frozen. There are some otters at an aquarium we visit in Spain, and the fish they are fed are always frozen. I’ve no idea why, maybe it makes the meal more challenging / interesting? The otters certainly don’t seem to mind. If we make it there this summer (a rather big “if” right now!) I will try to remember to ask.
Crazy! I just looked at Wikipedia and the Eurasian otter article includes video of otters eating frozen fish in the very aquarium I mentioned above! https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Lutra_lutra_eating_frozen_fish_-_Gijon_Aquarium_-_2015-07-02.webm
Still no nearer to knowing why the fish are frozen, but I’ll keep searching…
Ok, so I don’t seem to be able to discover much about frozen fish in the other diet. But I was surprised to learn from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ “Otter (Lutrinae) Care Manual” that “Otter pups are not born knowing how to swim and may even be scared of the water. They will usually take an interest in the water at 4-8 weeks of age”. Who knew?
Grrrr! “otter diet” not “other diet”! Bl**dy autocorrect!
It could just be because they eat so much if the fish it is easier to keep it frozen to prevent it from being stinky and going bad.
I watch the Monterey Bay Aquarium Webcam feeds and saw the staff feeding the sea otters. Didn’t look frozen in this case though.
Sea otters are different from river otters.
Ok, so I don’t seem to be able to disco
This was all I saw at first😂
I “resemble” the remark that the 65 year old is elderly.
In most industrialized Western nations, someone is considered a senior by the age of 65 or so. … Many people would not consider someone a senior until they’re at least over the age of 70.
By the way, I am 69.
I think I’m elderly at 50 given the way things have broken down.
My first reaction: elderly? 65!? Rubbish.
You don’t like fishsicles? Otter does.
You don’t like fishsicles? Otter does.
Below is my suggestion for a working definition of senior. 👵🏻 The word elderly is too vague now days.
65 years – retiree
70 years – junior senior
80 years – intermediate senior or just plain senior
90 years – senior senior
Keep smiling everyone.
According to that, I can’t say I’m a senior at a spry 63. But the restaurants say I am, most of them anyway.