what looks like a little otter and fishes in your pond?

[FloriaTosca]

Sorry, this is probably the wrong thread to ask, but can't think of anywhere better. I've just had a phone call from my Mum asking me the question above: I suggested perhaps baby otter (too big and in suburban Manchester so she doubts it), water rat (she says no) water vole (too big),stoat (?), weasel(?)...she says it has an otter like face, appears to be black (but then again it is wet) and keeps jumping in and out of the pond (a big-ish one 12ftx9ft)she hasnt seen it catch a fish and the fish dont seem too perturbed (but they sat like peace offerings for the heron until we had to fence them in or lose them all) so does anyone else know what looks like a little otter and swims around suburban ponds?

Mink?
images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=mink&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

They kill water voles

Baby otters do not know how to fish or swim. The mother has to 'coax' them into the water over time.
Has your Mum taken any photos of it?

Thanks for the suggestion Gingerbear...didnt think we had them wild in the uk (just poor farm bred ones destined for coats) Pictures match Mums description..I'll show her when she comes round for lunch...and thanks for the link, I'll read up and see if any of her fish will survive.

Gentleotter; Mum hasnt got a camera ...I'll go round tomorrow (she lives 25 miles away and I'm working this afternoon )if it is still there I try to get a photo...what she has said is that it is very brave (otters are quite timid I believe) as she has thrown some small stones at it to scare it off and it didnt even blink!!

EEEk!!! Lord help the fish if it is mink! They apparently go on killing sprees...(sound like foxes!)

We had a baby otter who had been used to humans when it arrived here. It was wandering about on the road (and had been clipped by a car) but she was completely unafraid of us and ended up living in a 'holt' outside for about nine months.
I wondered if someone had found her but had changed their minds? She was an absolute delight but we had to work hard at getting her back to the wild. She is the inspiration for my name.

Oh WOW! I had a friend who raised orphaned baby owls and that was like hard work but wonderful. You have all my admiration and envy.

Mum has arrived..seen the pictures...it looks like a MINK!!!! In suburban Manchester!!!!!! It is apparently the right time of year for young ones to be finding and establishing their own territory...she lives in Urmston which is between the Manchester ship canal (too deep) and the river Mersey (shallow enough in places)and there are a few other streams around, but not many! Dont really know how it got there but we are going to remove the rubble near the house (she having building work done) so there isnt a suitable bolt hole for it and hopefully it will move on! Thanks for the imput GentleOtter and Gingerbear

There was a link on the Derbyshire website to report sightings of a mink - maybe Manchester wildlife trust have something similar?
They may have a 'mink removal officer'

Nasty little things, mink. Phone the RSPCA and they might be able to catch it.