Otter fever has hit Vancouver.
The news this week that a rogue river otter infiltrated Chinatown’s Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and has reportedly eaten at last count five or six koi has created quite a stir around the city.
Media coverage has been widespread and the otter now has its own Twitter account, @ChinatownOtter, and hashtag, #Otterwatch2018, and has racked up more than 700 followers so far. Alliances are becoming evident with #teamotter going up against #teamkoi.
Since popping up Wednesday, the wayward semi-aquatic mammal has been a prolific on Twitter taunting its would-be captors...
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065444661118984192
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065433000500850688
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065393452894965761
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065386357843886080
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065383281825214466
Contemplating a run for mayor...
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065678443143081985
Getting advice from other local celebrity animals with Twitter accounts, including the Olympic Village beaver @VancouverBeaver and @VanCityPenguin...
https://twitter.com/vancitypenguin/status/1065618170239627264
https://twitter.com/VancouverBeaver/status/1065455745116725249
Threatening to haunt the garden if "anything should happen..."
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065483267237863424
And suggesting sharing the title of the city’s unofficial ambassador with Vancouver’s favourite bird Canuck the Crow...
https://twitter.com/ChinatownOtter/status/1065680359239573504
As of Thursday afternoon the otter still had not been caught. Earlier in the week Howard Normann, director of parks, told reporters that the park board does have a backup plan if it isn't able to trap the animal but was non-committal on a timeline.
#Otterwatch2018 continues...
