ORLANDO, Fla. — A river otter found at Lake Eola Park was found to be responsible for the death of two Australian Black swans and one duck. The otter was safely relocated to South Econlockhatchee River on Wednesday.
The otter, who snuck into the lake, was discovered by families and staff members on July 15, who then notified the City of Orlando, according to WESH-TV. On the same day, they found two Australian Black swans and a duck dead in the lake.
City staff immediately reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Orange County Animal Services, WESH reported.
"Nature's gonna happen," Eola Park Manager Quincy Richardson told the Orlando Sentinel. "And it happens out here."
The FWC told the city to call a private trapper with Central Florida Wildlife Trapping, according to WESH. Angel Cortes, the owner of Central Florida Wildlife Trapping, was named to catch the otter.
"They needed somebody to come and catch the otter in a humane fashion and make sure it was relocated in a humane way," Cortes told WESH.
WESH reported that he went to Lake Eola with two traps filled with fish for bait and caught the otter within 24 hours.
The otter was then safely transported and humanely released into the South Econlockhatchee River.
