OTTERS 121 



CHAPTER XII 

 OTTERS, THE RATEL, POLECATS 



THE CAPE OTTER. This is the largest of known old- 

 world otters. Its cheeks, chin, and throat are yellowish 

 white. The fore toes have no claws, and are webbed at 

 the bases only, while the hind feet are more fully webbed, 

 and possess rudimentary claws on the third and fourth 

 toes. 



This otter is distributed over most of Africa south of 

 the Equator, and is found frequenting all the streams 

 in the north-east of the Transvaal. It appears to spend 

 a good deal of its time on land, haunting dense bush, 

 and lying up in holes in the neighbourhood of the main 

 rivers, and of the shallow pools found along the course 

 of tributary sand-spruits. Its food consists of fish, frogs, 

 freshwater crabs and shell fish. I have not personally 

 come across any instances of its having killed waterfowl, 

 though it is said to do so. Seeking their prey, as they 

 often must, in waters teeming with crocodiles, African 

 otters have to be exceptionally wary and quick ; and 

 though, no doubt, their habits, when resting and sleeping, 

 are considerably influenced by fear of these reptiles, 

 under ordinary circumstances they are well able to elude 

 their attentions. The following little incident will 

 illustrate this. A ranger fired at and wounded an otter 

 which he saw fishing in a deep pool of the Olifants River. 

 Although up to that moment there had not been a sign 

 of a crocodile, almost immediately afterwards the pool 

 became alive with the reptiles, and the otter was quickly 

 pulled down. While in full possession of its strength, 

 the crocodiles evidently deemed the time spent in attempt- 

 ing to catch it wasted. 



