UPDATE. Uh-oh. Spoke too soon. Evidence of copyu breeding? This appears to be a half-grown youngster following an adult.This odd little fellow was caught running along the edge of the Ruaka River. Note time and date stamp. First reaction was an otter, but compared to other shots we've had of the African Clawless otter (Aonyx capensis), this one seems to be smaller, the conspicuous tail is missing (seems to have a rather stubby dark tail on in first two images), the nose is blunter and the ears higher up on the head. Neither is it very hyrax-like in shape of head; plus there is evidence in the middle clip of a tail. The consensus is coypu (nutria, river rat, Myocastor coypu). We have learned that there is a residential plot upstream of Karura that has coypu's in a fishpond. It is not too far from two of the forest's watercourses, one of which is the Ruaka, so an escapee is not impossible. No further sightings on this cameral up till now (end Feb 2016).
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| Definitely Otters |
