Otter/Odder

Lutra lutra


The otter's slim body is about 1,2-1,5 m long including the tail. It belongs to the marten-family and has a good adaptibility in various climatic conditions. Undisturbed lakes and rivers are few in Denmark and the otter-population is rather small - today is the Otter-population ab. 1000 animals. It is almost impossible to see an otter in Denmark - it is out at night and is very shy. In Denmark the otter live especially in lakes and water streams in North- , Mid- and West-Jutland, but it has just been rediscovered at Zealand, a signal of an increasing population. In the beginning of the 1980s there were only about 100-200 otters in Denmark. Today we can enjoy the lively otter at Aqua Freshwater Center in Silkeborg.

The otter is adapted to water and moves elegantly in the water. Its fur is thick and dark brown with a lighter breast. It has a flat head and a strong neck and long whiskers. It has developed various traits which helps it in the water. 1) The nostrils close to keep water out. 2) The small ears close below water . 3) The whiskers register movements under water. 4) The otter has web among the toes which makes it a quick and steady swimmer.
The otter lives almost only of fish and swims several km at night when hunting. It hunts small fish and has no favorites, but takes prey easy to catch. During the hunt the otter localize the prey by help of its sight and the sensitive whiskers. A dive lasts average one minute but the otter can stay under water up to 6 minutes before it has to go up to breathe. Lesser prey is eaten in the water while the large prey is dragged upon land.



Old Norse name for Otter is otr; from sanskrit udra-h, indoeuropean udro-s = water animal. The Danish name Odder has been used as a personal byname since the 1300s - and is also used in several place names. Bones of Otter have been found in settlements from Denmarks early Stone Age. In 1479 is mentioned gloves made of otter skin. A man had in 1609 the king's permission to catch otters and in return yearly deliver five skins to the king. Several royal permissions were given in this way in the 1600s. The skin was in the 1600s and later on used for muffs. In 1864 it was called our most valuable furs. (in DK)

The otter was considered a terrible fish robber, it was mildly said not popular because it took fish in the fishpond and in the well boxes. People hunted the otter both for its skin and because it stole their fish. The contour hairs were used for hats, stockings and brushes. The night-hunting for otters were forbidden in 1922, and in 1967 the otter was totally listed.



Legend:
In an old Norse legend Oter caught a fish while he was in the figure of an otter; one day while he was sitting on the beach eating a salmon he was killed by Loke with a stone. The Ase-gods were happy for this catch and skinned the animal, but they were later caught by Oter's father and had as a penance and ransom to pay an otter-skin filled with gold and covered in gold.

Sayings:
People said that the eyes of an otter were like fire, which frightened the chickens at night, so they fell down and became its prey.
Eight days before Midnight's Eve or eight days after the otter stays on dry land when the sun shines warmly.
The otter has to arch its back three times before it can run.
Small children was kept away from the village pond because the otter was lurking for them in the water.

Addition: People must contact the game consultant at the local State Forest District, if they find a dead otter.

Protection: Habitatdirektive II+IV; Protected; Bonn Convention-list I; Natura 2000 etc.

Natura 2000 Status of Otter: Uncertain Status of Preservation.

Link:
AQUA Ferskvandscenter

Source:
Dyr og Vækster, Lademanns Naturfører
Naturguide Magasin
Natur og Miljø, Magasin
Skov og Ntatur
Folk og Fauna 3, 1985

photo from Aqua-Freshwater Center in Silkeborg, Jutland, March 2009: grethe bachmann

Bat/Sydflagermus in Daylight

Eptesicus serotinus


Bat , Vestermølle , at Rørbæk Sø

Bats are the only flying mammals. In Denmark's fauna are 17 species, and internationally are about 1000 species; every 4th mammal on earth is a bat. The Danish name flagermus comes from Old German Fledermaus, fleder meaning flagre (fluttering, flitting).

In the 1400s the bat was called: bakke, in 1603 aftenbakke, comes from Old Norse Blaka = flagre (fluttering, flitting).

Many of the Danish bat species overwinter in Daugbjerg and Mønsted's Kalkgruber (lime pits) in Mid Jutland. The lime pits are situated in Fjends Kommune (community) , which has a bat in its city seal.

Vestermølle, at Rørbæk sø

Magics, Omens, Fairy Tales.
Some connects bats with horror and thriller movies. It might especially be caused by the gory vampire-stories, amongst those the story about the infamous count Dracula. It is known since the early Middle Ages that there was much superstition around this little mysterious animal.

In the 1400s they said that bat-blood stopped the growth of hair.
A bat has only three drops of blood, they are under the left wing, if they are rubbed upon a girl without being noticed she will forever feel attached to the one who did it.
If the blood was rubbed upon the eyelid or in the eyes then this would make you psychic, you would be able to see what was invisible to other people, both day and night.
If you drink three drops of a bat's blood you'll become invisible.

A bat's heart or head worn in a black cloth under the right arm would make one sleepless until it was removed.
Wearing a dried bat made you a winner in cardplaying. You would be a winner in games when the magic word was written with a bat's blood and black ink upon your left arm.
If a bat's head hangs in a pigeon house, the doves cannot leave it.
If more bats than usual fly in the evening the weather will be fine the next day.
If a bat flies into the house it's a death warning to the family.

Those people who live at the moon have bats as milch cows and poppies as corn. All bats and poppies on earth came originally from the moon.

In a fairy tale a princess is held prisoner in a hill, where she finds a bat, she drinks its blood and achieves strength anough to dig herself out.

A princess is an accomplice of a troll in a mountain, she flies in the night over the city in a large white robe and with long black wings.

The hall of a troll is decorated with glow-worms and skye-blue bats. (H.C.Andersen's fairy-tale: Rejsekammeraten (The Travelling companion) translated by Jean Hersholt.


Vestermølle, at Rørbæk Sø, after a short flight in the early
afternoon the bat flew up under the roof eaves.

NB:
If people might find a bat upon the ground then this might be a sick animal or a big young one who hasn't yet found out how to fly. Exhausted bats who hasn't found food can reduce their metabolism and almost hibernate. The best solution is to get the bat up on a secured place, fx on a branch or in a shelter under the roof eaves. Some bats can be infected with rabies, which can be transferred to humans in a bite. So its important to wear gloves when handling a bat.

Rørbæk Sø

Source:
Folk og Fauna 3, Dansk etnozoologi, V.J. Brøndegaard, edit. 1986.
Naturguiden
Mønsted Kalkgruber

photo 18. April 2009: grethe bachmann

The Beaver is well and lives in Jutland..........

Nature is Dynamic


A sweet little beaver eating an orange in Aqua Freshwater-Center.
I haven't yet seen the beavers in Klosterheden. It's a rather long walk.

In 1999 six beaver-families - in all 18 beavers were released in six places in Flynder Å (small river ), which runs through Klosterheden Statsskovdistrikt near the town Lemvig in Northwest Jutland. (south of Limfjorden). The beavers came from the river Elbe in Germany, since the animals from here are closest related to the beavers, which once lived in Denmark. The population has grown each year - counting from spring 2009 shows there are estimated 121 beavers in Denmark. They have spread to other areas and were observed as far to the south of Jutland as Husby Sø and Nørresø west of Ulfborg. (near Ringkøbing fjord). Furthermore has the Skov- og Naturstyrelsen acknowledged release of beavers in Arresø and surrounding area in North Zealand in 2009-2010.

In spite of that Denmark's nature has changed since the beaver disappeared from the country more than a thousand years ago, there are many places where the beaver will find good habitats. Wet areas have been recreated, where the beaver will get an important role and raise the quality of those areas. The beaver was through several thousand years spread all over Europe, but caused by hunting, cultivating and draining it became almost extinct. About 100 years ago were only 700 European beavers left. The beaver was now listed, and in many places in Europe it was released in areas , where it had lived before. Thanks to the great effort to save the beaver the population has grown. Today are 500.00-700.000 beavers in Europe.



The beaver plays a central role in nature, and in a decisive way it influences the nature, which it is a part of. It takes part in recreating a nature , which is closer to the original nature. The beaver creates a variation, which we humans cannot create ourselves. Moist forest-spots, small lakes, dead wood in the forest and wet areas and glades in thick willow scrub are examples of, what the beaver gives back to our nature. These habitats are often lacking in the Danish nature, and they are important habitats for many of our endangered plant- and animal-species. It is first of all because of the beaver's positive influence on our nature that it was released in Denmark after many years of exile.

The beavers' clearing willow scrub in the ravines of Klosterhede will produce a positive effect on the flora. The light-demanding species, which have been shadowed by the thick scrub, will get a chance again. The small lakes created by the beaver-dams will become good habitats for amphibians, insects and birds. After some years, when there is no more food in the area, the beavers will leave it, and the dam will fall into decay. Where once was water, will now be a so-called beaver-meadow, where new plant-societies will arrive. Nature will become dynamic.

Source: Magazine Natur og Miljø; Skov- og Naturstyrelsen; Klosterheden Statsskovdistrikt.



photos from Aqua Freshwater-Center in Silkeborg, Jutland, March 2009: grethe bachmann