Slinger, WI – A wacky and surprise encounter for a family that has lived in Slinger for nearly 20 years. Rachel Womack and her husband have a small marsh in their backyard and this week she spotted an otter, and then another and another.
“We have no idea where they came from- we’re not on any river or waterway,” she said.
There are three otters total. Womack said they have not named them, “but they act like the three stooges!”
According to the DNR website: “River otter (Lontra canadensis): The river otter is a large, semi-aquatic member of the weasel (or mustelid) family. They are long-bodied, short-haired furbearers with a powerful, thick tail used for swimming. They bound, jump, slide and play-fight to keep in shape for hunting. Their fur is a dark brown with lighter colored throats and bellies. Males can be up to 25 pounds, whereas females tend to be 19 pounds or less. Otters have webbed toes and valves in their nose and ears that they can close when underwater, both adaptations to help them swim. They have one litter per year with an average of two to three young per litter. They eat primarily fish, though they also may eat crayfish, frogs, muskrats and reptiles.”
We have calls out to the nearby superintendent at Pike Lake State Park and the DNR to see where the otters came from and whether there are more in the area. Stay tuned!
Courtesy TnF Videos / Rachel Womack on Vimeo.
