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River otter found in trap at Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary
CANFIELD
Some of the same community members who have protested recent staff dismissals at Mill Creek MetroParks now are raising concerns about wildlife protection after an incident at the park system’s wildlife sanctuary.
Jeff Harvey, president of the Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley and a surveyor of the sanctuary’s bird life, made a discovery over the weekend that was shocking to him: a river otter ensnared in a trap.
“It was terrible. I went into panic mode. The poor creature was thrashing around up on the dike,” he said, recalling how he grabbed his camera to photograph the animal before realizing that it was trapped.
Harvey immediately contacted MetroParks police. Together, he and park police – who he said appeared just as upset as he was – contacted the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
State wildlife law enforcement, MetroParks police and other responders were able to safely release the river otter, which reportedly then swam away.
The incident has led to misdemeanor charges for the owner of the traps, who the MetroParks allows to operate as part of its wildlife and habitat management efforts. Dan Volpe is cited through Mahoning County Area Court here for failure to tag a trap and for having too large of a trap on land. The traps are supposed to be in the water, a Division of Wildlife representative said.
“Mill Creek MetroParks is aware of the unfortunate incident involving a trapped river otter that took place this past weekend at the Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. The river otter was able to be released without injury by an Ohio Division of Wildlife officer, who was contacted by Mill Creek MetroParks Police. The individual permitted to trap the Wildlife Sanctuary was properly licensed but was cited by the Ohio Division of Wildlife for improper tagging of a trap and for the improper location of the trap,” reads a prepared statement issued by the MetroParks.
“Nuisance trapping permits are issued on an annual basis by the MetroParks as part of recommended wildlife and habitat management activities in an effort to maintain ecological bio-diversity within our natural areas. The river otter is a non-targeted species and is not included under any nuisance trapping permits. All nuisance trapping permits expired on February 29, 2016,” it concluded.
Save the Wildlife in Mill Creek Park, a wildlife advocacy group that formed in the wake of the MetroParks’ June 2014 killing of 238 geese, decried the otter trapping.
A social media post by the group (which was shared nearly 500 times as of press time) in part reads: “The park had been warned that there were otters in that area and that special care needed to be taken, as the river otters are trying to make a population comeback. But the park, once again, has no regard for wildlife, and allowed someone to set up traps.”
In a letter emailed to three park commissioners, Harvey wrote: “This activity was sanctioned by the park to control muskrats and beaver. I have told park staff that River otters have been seen at the sanctuary and that precautions needed to be taken to insure they were not harmed. Even though it was not intentional this activity needs to be stopped until the park can insure that no otters will be caught. ... Please, please bring some sanity to the park.”
The incident is concerning, Harvey said in an interview, because river otters are relatively rare in this area. He acknowledged the need for control of muskrats and beavers but said the park should ensure trappers know what they’re doing.
Jarod Roof, law-enforcement supervisor at Ohio Department of Natural Resources District 3, said otters still are at risk of entrapment when traps comply with regulations.
“You’re always going to have that chance that that’s going to happen. If it had been set in the water, he could have still caught the otter,” he said.