River otters pop up in odd places — even city canals

DEARJOAN » Last Saturday, my wife and I were walking the Contra Costa Canal Trail here in Pleasant Hill. The ducks that sometimes hang out in and along the canal were raising a ruckus, flapping and squawking, because an otter was swimming near them.

I’ve never seen an otter in the canal before, and we have walked this route frequently for many years.

Any idea what brings this critter to our neighborhood? He’s certainly a handsome fellow. Inquiring minds want to know. — Kurtis Rupe, Pleasant Hill

DEARKURTIS » Your otter friend would have been a rare sight a few years ago, but thanks to conservation and protection efforts, the river otters are making a comeback.

Populations of river otters in the Delta had been greatly reduced by trapping, pollution and habitat destruction, but in recent years, their numbers have been increasing, and they’ve expanded their territories.

The Contra Costa Canal, which carries water from the Delta to water processing plants and distribution centers, serves as a sort of superhighway for the otters. They travel the canal to points further inland, then make their way across land to streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.

The otter you saw probably was just passing through, perhaps on his way to the Heather Farm pond, which has become a popular spot for river otters.

DEARJOAN » When raccoons peeled back the grass in my yard over a few nights, the local nursery told me they were foraging for grubs and a heavy infestation will attract them.

Indeed, my grass had looked under the weather, but I had thought it was just dry. I applied grub killer pesticide — for initial speed — and had one more attack the next day but none after that.

I now apply natural, anti-grub beneficial nematodes in the spring and fall, have not had any more raccoon problems and the yard looks better with less water. — Paul Askounis, Cupertino

DEARPAUL » Yes, beneficial nematodes are the best and most ecologically sound way of getting rid of grubs, which in turn stops raccoons and skunks from digging up your yard.

Fall is the perfect time to use the nematodes, as the grubs will soon be heading deeper beneath your lawn to spend the winter, emerging in spring as beetles.

Nematodes are near microscopic creatures that have but one goal in life — find a grub and destroy it. They don’t bother most other critters and are perfectly safe to use on lawns, even if you have children or pets.

Look for them at your local nursery, home improvement store or online.

DEARJOAN » I have a round, enclosed compost bin where some animal entered from the bottom and ate all the fruit and vegetable scrapings, and I think all the red worms, too.

Is the compost that is left contaminated to the point that I shouldn’t add it to my garden beds? I’m thinking it is rats and that’s why the concern. The bin has been sliding off the plastic bottom and the compost was exposed to the ground. I need to fix this. — Bill Scaglione, Albany

DEARBILL » It probably was rats, but they didn’t contaminate the compost. Try wrapping the bin with hardware cloth and putting some on the bottom to keep all critters out.