Visitors to Whiffin Spit in Sooke are being urged by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to keep their distance from an overly curious sea otter.
In recent weeks the marine mammal has been seen trying to interact with surfers at the tourist spot, climbing several times onto a surfboard.
It was also observed approaching a dog in the water and on shore on Jan. 5.
Paul Cottrell with DFO's Marine Mammal Response, has described the animal香蕉视频直播檚 behaviour as 香蕉视频直播渁bnormal,香蕉视频直播� but says he is hopeful the situation can be resolved with the public's cooperation.
香蕉视频直播淲e've seen this periodically in other sea otters, but it's not common,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t's in an area where there are not many other sea otters, so it may be just curious and looking for those interactions."
Cottrell says officers are monitoring the situation and are hopeful the animal can be discouraged from interacting with visitors at the Spit.
香蕉视频直播淭hese sea otters are wild animals; it can be quite aggressive, so we don't want those negative interactions 香蕉视频直播� because it's not good for the animal and not good for people,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Signage has been erected in the area to warn visitors about the sea otter, and officers are visiting the area periodically to 香蕉视频直播渃heck up on things,香蕉视频直播� says Cottrell.
香蕉视频直播淲e don't want to habituate this sea otter any further to those types of interactions,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e want to extinguish that behaviour.香蕉视频直播�
If the situation persists, the DFO will look at other options, including relocating the sea otter as a last resort.
"It's not easy to capture a free-range sea otter,香蕉视频直播� said Cottrell. 香蕉视频直播淸Relocation] is not an option at this point, just logistically 香蕉视频直播� but we may have to look at those options if things continue and we see any issues around the potential danger to the animal or the public.香蕉视频直播�
Dog owners are encouraged to keep their pets under control, preferably on a leash at all times.
香蕉视频直播淚t seems to be attracted especially to dogs,香蕉视频直播� said Cottrell.
To help, Cottrell says visitors should report any sighting or interaction with the sea otter to the DFO香蕉视频直播檚 24-hour Observe, Record, Report line at 1-800-465-4336, or email DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
Wildlife photographer and former district councillor Kerrie Reay, who captured the moment the sea otter 香蕉视频直播� which she has nicknamed 香蕉视频直播榃hiffin香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� approached a dog on the shore of the spit, agrees pet owners should be on alert.
香蕉视频直播淧eople walking their dogs on the spit need to be very aware if 香蕉视频直播榃hiffin香蕉视频直播� is in the area and keep their dogs away from the edge of the water and certainly don香蕉视频直播檛 let them in,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭his sea otter moved very fast in the water and could do some serious damage to even a large dog.香蕉视频直播�
Similar to the recent scenes of the animal , a sea otter was filmed hitching a lift with a Sooke paddle-boarder in August 2024.
Cottrell says they were also monitoring the paddle-boarding sea otter, and he suspects the two animals could be one and the same.
香蕉视频直播淕iven that it's a very similar area 香蕉视频直播� and that animal had similar behaviours,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think likely it香蕉视频直播檚 the same animal, but we haven't confirmed that.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檒l add that the surfers did exactly the right thing when they discouraged those interactions. That's what we want to discourage, any interactions with people.香蕉视频直播�
