Otter Poaching
The concept of Otter hunting is one that dates back to the 1700’s according to documented information. While it is believed that it likely occurred well before that it can’t be proven with any real information out there. There are stories though in many cultures that date back before then that continues to circulate among the generations.
The early hunting methods though included darts and arrows. Later on traps were set on land to capture them based upon evidence of where the Otter populations were living. Even the young pups would be trapped and killed for their fur. In fact, they were often captured first so that their distress calls would bring adult Otters to find out what was going on. Then they too would be captured.
Later on guns were used to hunt Otters but many still preferred trapping. It was the best way to preserve the pelts from these animals. However, with the use of guns more Otters could be killed in less time. They could also be killed in the water instead of just on land. The desire of people all over the world to have items made from Otter significantly increased the hunting efforts for them.
Large hunting efforts were emerging that involved a large ship in the water. Then groups of hunters were sent out in canoes to find and kill Otters. When they had their canoe full they would return to the large ship to unload them. This would go on for days until the leader of the expedition felt that they had enough cargo to return home.
There has long been a history of Otter pelts being displayed around the world. In China it was standard for the royalty to wear robes made from them. Those that were financially high in status also wore them. That isn’t limited to only their society though. In many locations including the United States capes, belts, and sashes made from the fur of Otters have been very popular.
The tails of Otters were often made into items for men to wear. They included hats and belts. Even some types of mittens for children have been made from the fur of Otters. However, as the cost of them continued to increase more people stopped buying them. Others did so out of a conscious effort to protect these animals from extinction. The introduction of silk is another reason why the desire for items made from Otter decreased.
Today the hunting of Otters is severely limited by law. The fact that most people are no longer interested in wearing Otter clothing has helped to keep those laws active. Since there isn’t much of a market for it people can’t make money like they used to by killing them.
However, people continue to hunt them for sport. This is one animal that they find to be out there for them to access. They don’t have to go hunting through the forest to find it. Since they are small, they also don’t need to worry about carrying large prey back to get their trophy recognized.
Commercial hunters aren’t found of Otters either. They hunt them in order to reduce the competition for the fish that they want to capture. These fishermen depend upon a good daily catch for a living. They also are aware that Otters consume large amounts of them every single day.
Since Otter hunting is illegal in many areas you need to familiarize yourself with the laws. If you find that someone is engaging in such behaviors report it to the authorities immediately. You will be protecting Otters lives and those individuals may have to do jail time or pay a huge fine for their illegal activities.
