The ogopogo of Kootenay Lake has visited my waters again.
I last photographed and described our ogopogo in March, 2012. Since that time, I have explored reports from another valley, and yes, both its behaviour and pictures show the ogopogo of Kootenay Lake to be a sibling of ones recorded in the Okanagan.
Yesterday’s ogopogo swam more languidly than it had earlier in the year, but it still could be seen diving, and then surfacing with a fish soon devoured.
First, a few of the latest pictures, and then further commentary.
When spotted, the ogopogo was far out on the Lake.
Occasionally it would raise its head and extend its neck in a manner similar to Kelowna’s statuary.
At other times, the ogopogo’s head was underwater, but its sinuous humps were visible.
Finally, its fish devouring jaws came fairly close to me.
As with last March’s visit, this ogopogo is merely a serendipitous perspective of an otter family—the various humps being different individuals in the family. Indeed to my eye, all of those ground-based photographs of the ogopogo on the credulous site, Ogopogo Monster, are nothing but crummy shots of otter families.
Of course, I have seen an otter family a number of times this year (for example, otter frolic) without thinking the observation fit the pattern of Okanagan-style ogopogo silliness. It seems that the conditions for reporting an ogopogo are that the members of the otter family should travel in single file, be distant, and move across the field of view. Then, assuming that the observer has little experience with the behaviour of otters, has leanings towards credulity, and is equipped with rather poor photographic equipment, the resulting report of an ogopogo sighting is likely to both enrich local folklore and hearten tourism promoters.
“Ok, granted our names start with the same letter, but that’s it. An ogopogo is an hybrid created in the mind. It is as if one imagined that a herd of elk, or a flock of birds, is actually a single beast—a chimerical animal created by conflating separate individuals. But, I am not imaginary, I am real; I am otter.”
In my neck of the woods, we have Cammy from Cameron Lake Vancouver Island … I too have seen the otteriffic swimming hyjinx that in some imaginative minds becomes the lake monsters …. I am glad some folks still see and report the fantastic instead of the realistic … cheers from VI.
Sandra, I suspect that such mystical beasts occupy many lakes with otters. Certainly, we enjoy the imaginings of people who see such composite beasts in the same way that we delight in the fanciful friends of our toddlers. But, we don’t believe them.
Hilarious, and wonderful. The last photo would make a charming Christmasy card. How could there be another otter brother better?
Ogopogo unmasked — wonderful!
Greg, unmasked, yes, but the unmasking took place a rather long time ago. I have been aware that the ogopogo was merely an otter family for decades and I am sure that biologists have known this for far longer. All I have done is produce good supporting pictures and make the insights popularly accessible through a blog. Of course, I did exhibit a bit of cynicism over the public’s continued preference for fantasy over reality. But then, as Lily Tomlin observed, “No matter how cynical you become, it’s never enough to keep up.”
Well, you deserve credit regardless.
That was fun, Alistair! Thanks for this, and all your posts.