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Mankind
I say mankind, this could also mean children of either sex.
People could be jealous of your koi and if not steal them try to harm them, especially if you are showing them competitively.
Children can harm them out of pure ignorance and devilment. I
regularly fish pieces of mortar and stones from my pond that are thrown
by children trying to ping my satellite dish.
Some people eat carp as a delicacy, notably the Polish and Czech .
Ebay has a thriving koi marketplace and I would be suspect of the
backyard seller who has only a collection of superb koi, all very
different and no good reason for selling them all! I have been to one
place myself and have to confess I thought the whole set up was dodgy.
Be careful about who you show your koi off to, particularly in
public forums on the internet try to keep your location secret.
Beware of "Groomers". Herons
One of the most common predators of pond fish is the heron. Usually the only sign that you may have
that you've been visited by a heron is a missing fish or a number of very skittish fish bearing
the trademark v shaped loss of scales from both sides.
The most attractive pond to herons (and very difficult to protect) is a
large, unenclosed pond with gently sloping earth banks, leaping with
fish, on a river floodplain near a heronry.
There is a real risk of the spread of disease through
heron activity, as they move freely between natural and
artificial water bodies. If a heron has recently left a wild fish
population with typical levels of disease, then it is
possible for such diseases to be transferred to your garden
pond.
The heron uses the reflected sunlight from the surface of water to
locate a new pond as it flies high above an area of land. As it slowly
circles these new feeding spots, it begins to look for any threat and
considers how it can approach the pond.
A common misconception is that herons need to land at the side of the
pond before walking into a pond. While it may be to a heron's advantage
to
land away from the pond and approach it without alarming the fish, a
hungry heron is perfectly capable of landing within the shallow margins
of a pond.
Herons have been known to pierce liners through
misguided stabs at fish. I have also seen fish that have
been by skewered by a heron, but being too large to be
eaten just left on the pond side.
Many pondkeepers install 'trip wires' around the pond. The idea is that
while the heron has superb vision when it comes to seeing your fish, it
has poor peripheral vision. So when it lands next to a pond, it can see
its potential prey but not the fine wire or line blocking its path.
Eventually, the heron may become so frustrated in its attempts to reach
the pond that it flies off to an easier site. Using a tight-fitting net
to cover the pond may act in the same manner, preventing the bird from
gaining access to your fish, however this may well detract from your enjoyment of the pond
A compromise is to erect a pergola above the pond,
that may be well covered with shading or climbing
vegetation. However, this will not prevent a heron from
landing and walking up to the pond edge and fishing.
This frustration tactic lies at the heart of any deterrent. If a
predator finds it easier to approach and feed on another pond, your
fish may survive to a ripe old age.
Kingfishers, cormorants and even rooks or crows have been known to take
pondfish. Covering the pond with a tight-fitting net is likely to
provide the best form of protection.
A couple of sections of drainpipe, placed
horizontally on the pond bottom offer heron-proof cover
for fish. It relies on the fish being quick enough and
the heron not being patient enough to wait for the fish
to leave their cover.
Grey herons are thinly distributed throughout the UK as birds of
freshwater and estuaries. They nest colonially (in 'heronries') in the
tops of tall trees. An estimated 15,000 pairs of herons nest in the UK
(compare this with 3.5 million pairs of blue tits). In severe winters,
when water freezes, making fish difficult to catch, the heron
population can be reduced significantly.
Osprey
Seen in flight from below the osprey has white or slightly mottled
underparts. The long wings are angled, bending at the 'wrist' which has
a black patch contrasting with the white wing linings, and at a
distance it could be mistaken for a large gull.
Ospreys are found in a variety of freshwater, brackish and marine
environments. The most important habitat requirement is the presence of
ample supplies of medium-sized fish obtainable near the surface of
clear unpolluted water. Several birds sometimes congregate at good
feeding sites.
Its main UK stronghold is in Scotland - nest sites with public viewing
facilities are at Loch Garten, Speyside, and Loch of the Lowes, Perth.
It recently began breeding in England at Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, where
there is a public viewpoint, at Rutland Water (where it was
introduced), and a pair can also be found in Wales in the Glaslyn
valley where there is a public viewpoint. Can be seen at almost any
large body of freshwater during spring and autumn migration.
The osprey is a specialist feeder, relying on
medium sized fish, both marine and fresh-water. The bird will fly above
the water’s surface to locate fish, sometimes gliding and soaring up to
70 metres high.
The exact catching technique varies with the type
of fish, but they all involve a nearly vertical plunge dive with wings
half-folded and feet thrown forward at last moment. The fish are caught
in talons after a dive to a maximum depth of 1m. The fish is held head
first, like a torpedo, when carried to a perch or to the nest.
The
long, curved talons and the short spines covering the underside of the
toes assist with the capture and holding of the fish. The bird is also
able to close its nostrils to stop water getting up its nose during a
dive.
Otters
Otters avoid disturbance and are largely nocturnal.
Otters inhabit mainly rivers, but also canals, marshes, small streams, ditches, ponds
and lakes. They also inhabit estuaries and coastal areas.
Home range: Depends on food supply but can be from 1 km along a rich coast to 40km along some rivers.
Resting sites: Called
holts, often tree roots but also drains, caves and holes in rockfalls.
They will also rest above ground in vegetation, sometimes called
couches.
Social structure: As otters are very
territorial they tend to live alone, except during mating and for a
period, dependent on the mother, after the cubs are born.
Physical features: Short
legs, webbed feet and claws, long stream-lined body, small ears and a
broad muzzle, sensitive whiskers around snout to help detect prey, 2
layers of fur - a thick waterproof outer one and a warm inner one.
Footprints - In soft ground, otter footprints can show all five toes, but more
commonly only four will be visible. The prints of adult otters are
asymmetrical, 42-80mm wide and the webbing can be seen in soft mud
Otter spraints (droppings) are black or dark greenish and tar-like when
fresh. They are loosely held together and have a distinctive,
musky/fishy odour, often described as smelling like newly mown hay or
jasmine tea. With age, spraints fade to grey but retain a sweet, musky
scent. They are often found in conspicuous places. By contrast, mink
scats, which may be confused with otter spraints tend to be more
compact and twisted, possibly contain fur and smell distinctly
unpleasant.
- South West Region
Devon and Cornwall remain an otter stronghold, while Wessex shows signs of a more widespread population. - Southern Region
The River Itchen remains a stronghold, but in general a region of low otter presence and few signs of increase. - Thames Region
An introduction programme brings significant increases in otter sites in a scarcely populated area. - Midlands Region
Large otter distribution findings in the Trent, but lower results in the lower Severn. - Anglian Region
A substantial expansion of otter populations, as introduction programmes start to take effect. - North West Region
A small increase in otter sites in Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, and the River Eden. - North East Region
Water quality and habitat improvements bring an upturn in otter population
Kingfishers
Kingfishers are small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds. They fly rapidly, low over water, and hunt
fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water's
surface.
They
are widespread, especially in central and southern England, becoming
less common further north but following some declines last century,
they are currently increasing in their range in Scotland. Kingfishers
are found by still or slow flowing water such as lakes, canals and
rivers in lowland areas. In winter, some individuals move to estuaries
and the coast. Occasionally they may visit garden ponds if of a
suitable size.
An ideal fishing spot is a firm perch overlooking a clear, shallow pool of water.
Kingfishers eat mainly fish, chiefly minnows and sticklebacks, but
they also take aquatic insects, freshwater shrimps and tadpoles etc to
top up their diet. They prefer fish about 23 mm in length, but can
handle anything up to 80mm long.
Each
bird must eat at least its own bodyweight of fish each day.
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