Landowner complains about cape clawless otter causing havoc

Mauritz Rossouw, a landowner at Firlands Equestrian Estate in Gordon’s Bay is at wit’s end with a Cape clawless otter who he says lives in the vicinity of his plot in the estate.

He first sighted evidence of the otter’s presence in the form of droppings and signs of a habitat on September 14, thereafter he captured the otter on video swimming in the dam on his property on September 21.

According to Mr Rossouw, he suspects the otter come down and took up residence in the area on his plot, after heavy rains and shows no signs of relocating.

He says he reported the sighting of the otter to both the SPCA and CapeNature in a request for the otter to be safely captured and released back to his original habitat or other recommended area.

In answer to whether the Cape of Good Hope SPCA is aware of the otter’s situation, Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Department Supervisor Jon Friedman said: “Yes, the CoGH SPCA Wildlife Department was made aware of the presence of a Cape clawless otter frequenting a man-made dam inside an equestrian estate, from the point of view of people fearing for the safety of the otter after the landowner had allegedly made public threats to shoot the otter,” Mr Friedman said.

But Mr Rossouw denies these allegations. “It is absolutely not true. I never threatened to shoot the otter.”

The owner alleges the otter has killed some of his animals and said 13 geese and 4 wild species were killed on his property within a time frame since September 14, up to now and sent Bolander images of animals killed.

But according to Mr Friedman, there is no proof that the animals were in fact killed by the otter.

Mr Friedman said: “The CoGH SPCA has received no absolute evidence that the landowner’s livestock were in fact killed by an otter. This needs to be considered when there are many opportunistic predators, both domestic and wild, each with easy access to the free-roaming livestock. Any one of these may well have attacked the landowner’s exotic livestock.”

The SPCA makes it clear that even though they received reports of the otter sighted by the landowner, they do not have the power to capture the animal.

“It is important to note that SPCA has no mandate to remove nor relocate so-called “nuisance” animals from private or public property.

“Within the borders of the Western Cape, this function is within the mandate of the provincial wildlife conservation authority that is CapeNature,” Mr Friedman said.

CapeNature spokesperson Luke Folb, says bound by their legislative obligations the translocation of nuisance otters would not be a pragmatic, ethical, humane or biodiversity conservation-orientated solution because firstly because removing the otter, in question will only make the habitat available to other otters.

“Even if all the otters frequenting the Estate were to be removed, the absolute suitability of the available habitat will just mean that other otters will take the place of the ones that are removed. It might buy some temporary relief, but it will certainly not stop the nuisance of predators predating on exotic waterfowl on the Estate from reoccurring.

“Cape Clawless Otters are extremely intelligent and adaptable, and they have very successfully learned how to adapt to a modified landscape.

“Unless one constructs a mesh cage over the entire property, one would never be guaranteed to not have to deal with a naturally occurring predator killing one’s exotic waterfowl ever again.

“The best and only long-term solution to a human-wildlife conflict situation is the implementation of holistic management interventions (that are inter alia practical, ethical, legal and humane) that will minimize or solve the conflict,” CapeNature said.

They recommended that Mr Rossouw consult with them on finding alternative solutions to curb the killing of his exotic waterfowl species.

In this specific case they suggest that Mr Rossouw consider safely and adequately enclosing his waterfowl with predator-proof fencing.

“As mentioned to Mr Rossouw, this has been done fairly successfully across the province where landowners decide to implement holistic human-wildlife conflict mitigation measures and adequate enclosure of the majority of exotic waterfowl that are kept by people is a legal requirement in the Western Cape anyway,” CapeNature says.

CapeNature offered Mr Rossouw a free site visit to come and assess the situation on the ground with the aim of identifying suitable holistic management interventions that he can consider mitigating the alleged predation of his exotic waterfowl by naturally occurring predators, but says Mr Rossouw has, to date, not taken CapeNature up on this offer.

Mr Rossouw says he took up their offer, but is still awaiting their visit.

He voiced his dissatisfaction with the lack of feedback from the Home Owner’s Association.

“I submitted official complaints to the HOA on the matter immediately after the killing of the first animal on September 14, and I requested a letter with the HOA letterhead to give to CapeNature.

“I’m disappointed because, as far as I’m concerned the HOA is in breach of a settlement agreement between myself and them by not supplying that letter and for not giving me feedback from CapeNature.”

The HOA’s official response was no comment.

On Sunday October 13, Bolander received information from a source on the estate that the otter has since moved on from the estate.

Mr Rossouw says this is not what he is experiencing, as he still has geese disappearing.