The many active lake otters seen all around the lake are more than making up for the months of sparse wildlife sightings. Both on the ice and along the shore, otters have been entertaining residents with their antics of eating and playing. Despite their size and speed, the otters are still fair play and can fall prey to the several bald eagles perched in the high spruce and fir trees around the lake – the same eagles who call Lac des Roches their home and … dinner plate. One neighbour with an exceptional view of the lake and its shoreline was reporting weekly sightings in early November. Once she started searching the far south shore and the edges of the newly formed lake ice with her binoculars, the active dark otters were much easier to spot and her reports of sightings were pretty well daily. For those residents with less opportunity to scan the lake and its shore for moving critters, just spotting the fresh evidence of otters can be quite thrilling. Both on the lake ice and along the shore, the run and slide tracks of the otters are unmistakeable. The otters often find refuge in shoreline caves where tree roots have created caverns underground. Although often hidden from sight, access holes to these hideaways can be detected with a whole lot of patience if following the otter tracks in the fresh snow. Better still, walk with a dog or two along the shore and they are sure to take their human friends direct to an otters hidden getaway. As always, it is wise to keep substantial distance between humans, dogs and otters as they have been known to attack humans, particularly when in a family group with young pups.
