(c) 2011 Lydia Hinshaw
Shy? Not me!
After a fun morning, a dirt bath is just the thingDE LEON SPRINGS, FL -- The otters of my acquaintance over the years have been somewhat reclusive animals, rarely seen and then only briefly, as they tend to vanish instantly at the hint of human approach.
So our photo expedition to Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge Monday morning was a revelation. I spent more time in proximity to otters Monday than I have in my entire previous 38-plus-years in Florida.
Seems that when otters have love on their minds, they don't pay attention to anything else, including paparazzi.
It had started out as a fairly disappointing day at Lake Woodruff, which continues to be overrun with vultures, as it was the last time we visited.
But the otters made the trip worthwhile.
The fellow in the second picture is resting after some lengthy and strenuous efforts to assure that there will be a next generation of otters here. He and a lady-friend cavorted at length in the edge of a pond less than 50 feet from us.
After he got tired (she had tired of him somewhat earlier and managed to put an inch-long gash in his cheek) he slithered out of the pond and availed himself of some bare ground to take a dirt-bath.
Dry and filthy, he took a short rest, before moving along to the next pond where he may have had another date. We had seen two other otters feeding there, while we watched what was going on the the pond next door.
I've posted only two pictures here; use the link above and to the right to see several more on my flickr account.
So our photo expedition to Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge Monday morning was a revelation. I spent more time in proximity to otters Monday than I have in my entire previous 38-plus-years in Florida.
Seems that when otters have love on their minds, they don't pay attention to anything else, including paparazzi.
It had started out as a fairly disappointing day at Lake Woodruff, which continues to be overrun with vultures, as it was the last time we visited.
But the otters made the trip worthwhile.
The fellow in the second picture is resting after some lengthy and strenuous efforts to assure that there will be a next generation of otters here. He and a lady-friend cavorted at length in the edge of a pond less than 50 feet from us.
After he got tired (she had tired of him somewhat earlier and managed to put an inch-long gash in his cheek) he slithered out of the pond and availed himself of some bare ground to take a dirt-bath.
Dry and filthy, he took a short rest, before moving along to the next pond where he may have had another date. We had seen two other otters feeding there, while we watched what was going on the the pond next door.
I've posted only two pictures here; use the link above and to the right to see several more on my flickr account.
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