Otter with Lamprey (1 Viewer)

I recently spent several hours with an Otter family just outside my house.

The female caught a huge Lamprey. This monster Lamprey was perhaps two and half feet feet long? We thought it was a young Conger at first. I cannot find any evidence of these being typical prey species and the Otter did not know what to do with it. The Lamprey took several minutes to die - by having its head chewed off/

There's lots of pictures on my blog. Including some kits which (un)fortunately came to close for the camera to focus :eek!:

http://ebirder.net/blog.aspx

Love the 'just outside my house ' Marcus. Cracking image though. I don't suppose it's that often you complain about otters being too close to focus on

Keith Dickinson said:

Love the 'just outside my house ' Marcus. Cracking image though. I don't suppose it's that often you complain about otters being too close to focus on

Click to expand...

No but the bloody thing stayed under a bridge in the darkest spot. Never seen them so unconcerned by people.

Mike (Skink) says it 'cause the Scottish ones don't have class like the Tyke ones :-O

Nice pic. Based on size, the lamprey must be a Sea Lamprey which has recently returned to the river to spawn.