AN amazing video shows the moment a brazen otter steals and struggles off with a 10lb salmon from a boat.
The crafty creature manages to drag the fish up a steep flight of steps and then on to a pier before scarpering for safety.
The remarkable footage was filmed by skipper David Lowe in Lerwick, Shetland.
The salmon is at least as long as the otter – and may weigh more – but that doesn’t deter the otter.
Several times he can be seen almost dropping the fish into the water below and at one point he slips down the side of the stairway.
Mr Lowe, 49, who watched the incident with three of his crew on Thursday morning said: “We carry live salmon. We take it from the fish farms – keep them live in the boat – and pump them up a pipe into a factory in Lerwick.
“He probably just whipped it out the tank.”
He continued: “I just happened to notice him. He was dragging it up the steps.”
Mr Lowe said at first the otter looked like he was going to jump overboard with the fish but decided to take the stairs up to the pier instead.
“He dragged him up the steps because he didn’t want to go into the water with it,” he said. “I think maybe there was a seal in the harbour.”
Shetland has the highest density of otters anywhere in Europe and they are a regular sight for local fishermen – but they are known as elusive and shy creatures.
He continued: “They are regulars here on the pier. There is usually a family of them. I’ve never seen one run off with a fish.”
Despite making off with some of his stock the skipper was impressed with the efforts of the young otter.
“I thought he deserved to have it,” laughed Mr Lowe. “The amount of work he did to get it.”
