Are there really otters at WL?

[Lamandpercy]

We will be staying at WL in August and I have seen people in other threads talk about the otter pond. Are there really otters in it and where is it? Never saw it on our last visit

Otters are one of my fave animals and if I could see them in the wild it would make my year!

 

[chepic]

I know that there are otters around...we have seen them at Old Key West early in the morning. I am certain there would be some at the WL, since the campground is right around the corner and it is surrounded by water.

 

[smhull]

Yes there are otters around WL. My family took a fishing excursion out of the Poly last December and the guide took us around the WL dock area to fish. The otter was swimming under the boat and was trying to catch our bait. She told us that they actually have traps set up around WL to catch them since they have become a problem around the resort. He sure was cute and the kids loved seeing him.

 

[ciera321]

We stayed for a week directly above the otter pond August 06 and never saw any. I really didn't spend a lot of time looking, but really wanted to see one or two. There is so much wildlife at DW, I can't imagine there aren't any. Maybe they were just being shy...

 

[stetz69]

We were cruising around Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake (in sea raycers) this past Thursday morning and came across an island that was loaded with otters. The man at the Poly marina said that it is called Discovery Island and the otters hang out there. He also said that they are sattered along the WL grounds by the water areas.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

I have seen the Otters in the pond on the north side of the Lodge. The pond is shallow, I would imagine that during the summer months they would prefer the cooler temperatures of Bay Lake or Seven Seas Lagoon.

 

[UGAFan0829]

We also saw them on a fishing trip. We were over at the boat dock at Ft. Wilderness and there was a family of them in the water. They were very cute!

 

[ntsammy5]

Good old Discovery Island. I miss that place!

Yes the otters are alive and well. They mooch beer in FW and are general rabble rousers! But they're happy drunks so there's nothing to worry about!

They tend to keep the peacocks in check!

 

[Ranger1873]

Otters From Woods View Room.

 

[ntsammy5]

We can't get too many otter threads on these boards!

 

[Lehuaann]

OTTERS??!! Thats AwEsOmE!!!

 

[earthelves]

I Sure Hope That I Catch A Glimpse Of Them When I'm There At Xmas

 

[SandrainNC]

Oh man! I didn't know or I would have looked for them.

We didn't see any, but saw tons of bunnies. And ducks in the pool.

Sandra

 

[ntsammy5]

If you look really hard down by the water, you otter be able to see them!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

We saw one from the FtWilderness marina dock early one morning while waiting for for the boat to MK....I had heard about them but was somewhat skepticle. But seeing is believing!!! I was so excited when I saw it I yelled out, and everyone on the dock saw him. This was in December.

 

[ruzer28]

Yes there are otters around WL. My family took a fishing excursion out of the Poly last December and the guide took us around the WL dock area to fish. The otter was swimming under the boat and was trying to catch our bait. She told us that they actually have traps set up around WL to catch them since they have become a problem around the resort. He sure was cute and the kids loved seeing him.

Traps?? That sounds terrible. Did she mention if they just relocate the otters, or do they, um, dispose of them??

 

[Gatordad]

well, the alligators gotta eat too..... and they're not otters, they are rats.

 

[bytheblood]

Otters From Woods View Room.

What a nice thing to look out and see.

 

[pooch]

was right outside my room when we stayed at WL in 2006. Gotta tell ya the pond looked nothing like the picture posted here. It was more like an algae filled swamp! Never saw any wildlife anywhere near it. Frankly, it was gross looking!

 

[Lisa P.]

Oh man! I didn't know or I would have looked for them.

Same here! In all the years we've been going, we've never seen a single live, wild otter at WDW... and we adore them! Just didn't know to look!!! The critter in that photo is definitely a darling otter... not a rat. Check out the tail!

...but saw tons of bunnies. And ducks in the pool.

Ewwww. This always grosses me out. No matter how cute the duckies, I just can't let myself think of swimming in a pool with bird schnerkle-squirts... how often some pool water inadvertently gets in your nose or mouth...


Ewwwwww, ewww, eww! Eww.


I know, I know... the water's treated... I know.