One of the things I really enjoy about living in southwest Florida is the wildlife. Birds have a huge presence here and they come in all sizes and colors. Then there are the bigger mammals like bears, bobcats, and panthers. I have never seen those in the wild here, though others have. I would love to see a panther in its native habitat, but one should probably be careful of what they wish for. There are possums and armadillos, iguanas and snakes, and without alligators it simply wouldn’t be Florida.
Living on a decent sized pond we have all sorts of waterfowl, and the fish attract a number of birds of prey. An osprey lives in one of the trees on the edge of the shoreline, and on occasion a bald eagle may stop by to check out the fishing, or a red shouldered hawk may snack on a small turtle that wasn’t quite quick enough, or fully paying attention. Saw that once. Fascinating, but ewwww! I understand everyone needs to eat, but I didn’t really need to see that while I was eating my own breakfast. Don’t judge me for being a hypocrite!
The other morning we had a new visitor. We had heard he had been here a few years ago, along with a buddy. A neighbor had even provided us with a picture of him sitting on the steps leading to our back door, but the pair had moved on after thoroughly fishing out the pond, and those aquatic residents lucky enough to remain were probably not big enough to make a decent snack. That was until now.
Spying something large swimming in the water my husband, Kim, thought it was an iguana making its way to the other shoreline, but it didn’t look quite right and it appeared to be playing in the water. Iguanas are amazing swimmers, but they don’t play! The water for them is just another avenue of travel. They are mostly just looking for a quick way to get from one side to the other. No, this was something else.
He was fast and moved with ease, obviously very comfortable in the water and having a good time. Of course our own survival instincts are on alert. You don’t want to be caught off guard by an alligator who may have taken up residence. Alligators are freakishly fast in the water, though most of the time they move with the slow, self-assured, strutting confidence that they are the most powerful and feared predator in these parts. They seem to relish knowing that everyone around is watching them, and quietly backing out of their way. However, alligators are distinctive looking in the water, and this wasn’t it. But, what then?
He swam fast, diving deep, appearing here, then over there. Swiftly he was making a beeline for the shore and then suddenly here he was, standing in my backyard! A river otter! He was bigger than I than I expected. I wish he had stayed longer, but he looked around, looked at me, and was quickly on his way, using the runoff pipe between our pond and the one on the other side of the street as an underground highway.
They are cute, though not as cute, or as big as their cousins the sea otter. They don’t float on their backs like sea otters, and they’re faster on land than their fluffy relatives. Experts say they are friendly if you don’t bother them. They have sharp teeth and impressive claws, and I’m not convinced that when he shows you his teeth he is smiling, or issuing a warning! You decide. My neighbor was sweeping her lanai when she heard a low growl. Turning she saw him sitting there between our two houses looking at her. I’ll bet that gave her heart a quick jump start!
We were glad Mr. Otter entered our neighborhood, even if only for a short while. The fish and turtles are likely pleased his visit was short and he didn’t bring friends. There was a raccoon down there yesterday afternoon taking a long, cool drink. This morning a large iguana made his way across in search of a warm sunspot. Kim and I were out sitting in the sun, which often hypnotically lures me into closing my eyes. Snap out of it!!! That’s probably not a wise idea!! Who knows who might pop in for a visit.