THE CAPE OR CLAWLESS OTTER 
ot the river, awaits the attacks of the dog, and fights 
desperately until killed. 
A friend lost two fox terriers, which were killed 
by a male Cape Otter in the Umgeni River in Natal. 
A pack of a dozen otter hounds and terriers had 
driven the otter from cover into the centre of a 
deep pool. Two terriers in advance of the pack, 
swam out and attacked the animal. The otter 
awaited their assault and gripped the foremost of 
the dogs. Both vanished under water and reap- 
peared in a few seconds, struggling desperately. 
The second terrier came to the rescue, and for the 
next few minutes a terrific struggle was maintained. 
Presently the otter and one terrier disappeared, 
and the other was seen to be in difficulties. Di- 
vesting himself of his coat and. boots, my friend 
swam to the rescue, and succeeded in bringing the 
dog to shore. It was dreadfully bitten, and its 
abdomen was so severely lacerated that it subse- 
quently died. No sign of the otter or second terrier 
was seen until the following day, when the bodies, 
with teeth firmly buried in each other’s flesh, were 
discovered at a drift a quarter of a mile further 
down the river. 
The Cape Otter when brought to bay always 
fights desperately to the last. On land it cannot 
put up much of a fight, for it is clumsy in its move- 
ments, and can, in consequence, be attacked from 
behind by an active dog before it can succeed in 
turning. 
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