Villagers set up electric fence after ‘terrifying’ otter causes thousands of pounds of damage

Mr George said he has lost six fish worth £5,000 to the otter

Villagers installed a small shock electric fence (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Villagers in Somerset have installed an electric fence after an otter killed dozens of fish.

Oliver George, 27 from Martock and fellow villagers installed a small shock electric fence on the perimeter of his pond where he keeps Koi Carp.

Mr George said he has lost six fish worth £5,000 to the otter and he has only got three left in his pond.

Villagers realised an otter was eating the fish five weeks ago (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The 27-year-old has also installed motion-sensor alarms, cameras, a floodlight and a fake heron to deter the otter, who he says has created “absolute chaos rampaging all over the village”.

He said: “It’s terrifying. I can only think it’s a giant otter because some of these fish weigh a ton.”

Mr George has posted about his ordeal on TikTok where he has amassed over a million views. Each morning Mr George films himself for social media checking that fish are still alive.

The Martock resident said although it is a horrible situation”, he wanted to “show people what we’ve done” and make people laugh.

Villagers realised an otter was eating the fish five weeks ago after finding faeces and fish carcasses eaten in an otter pattern.

Mr George said: “First day we received a photo [of a dead fish] saying is this your fish and of course we’re like what is going on.

“We have had these fish 28 years and it has been peaceful and tranquil.

“But in panic we come out to look and it wasn’t one of our fish, it was one of the neighbours - who had lost all of their fish.”

Another villager lost 12 fish, while a carp lake lost 30 in the past month to the otter, a protected species.

The 27-year-old said the fish have sentimental feelings for the family, especially Big Bertha, a 28-year-old Koi Carp which was 77cm (30 inches) long and worth “thousands of pounds” but killed in one of the suspected otter raids.

“They didn’t even eat her - otters eat specific parts of fish”, said Mr Goerge.

“At least there would be a purpose if they’d eaten the whole fish like feeding their babies but there was no reason as they leave most.”

Dave Webb, from the Wild Otter Trust, said otters hunt in ponds for easy food when rivers flood.

In June 2022, police warned that otters were killing expensive pet fish from private ponds in Wiltshire