Seastallion Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I was just about to go to bed....I was on the balcony having a final ciggie....and an animal ran/skuttled/crept/trotted/slowly scampered past, down the soi towards the swamp at the end. I'm pretty good with natural history....but I don't know what this was. It was bigger than an average cat. It looked like a giant rat, except it's tail was thicker and fur-covered, and it's legs were stockier and longer. I think otter, but the tail wasn't that thick, and this animal's gait was different. It was sleek...again, otter-like. Very pointy face...otter-like. I'll do a google, but if anyone knows, that would be cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Maybe it was an otter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneyboy Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I often see them down my soi. It's the lesser spotted otter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Lol, Anthony. It had the wrong gait ...I think.I didn't find otters on the Wiki list of Thailand mammals. Googling...Asian Palm Civet is the closest thing I've found that it might be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 I often see them down my soi. It's the lesser spotted otter. Really?! Wow. Google time again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneyboy Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1439225116.280349.jpg That photo is obviously not Thailand, but the profile on the sign is so close to what I saw. I think the base of the tail was thinner, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phazey Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Better head down the local restaurant, They could be serving "Chicken Tarka", it's just like a Chicken Tikka, except it's a little otter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 I'm now convinced that it was an otter. Apparently there are 3 species in Thailand, although the hairy nosed otter might not exist here any more. Haha to "lesser spotted otter", although this one undoubtedly is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Try a mongoose.................... Where are you in Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weegee Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Had you been on the Hong Thong just before seeing it?...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lissos Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Did it have a menthol inhaler in one nostril? It was a Thai Otter, without a doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Much bigger than a mongoose and the tail was sleek, not bushy. This morning, my wife believes me, but the neighbours are either disinterested or skeptical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Try a mongoose.................... Crab-eating_Mongoose.jpg hqdefault.jpg Where are you in Thailand? Much much bigger than a mongoose. I'm in Hatyai. There is a klong about 1 km away, and the swamp is quite big....probably 5 acres. But the area is quite urban aside from the swamp...which is quite a dry swamp during the dry. only a few stagnant pools here and there. There are eels and crabs in the swamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Had you been on the Hong Thong just before seeing it?...lol Of course. Just downed the last one for the night and was on the balcony having my last ciggie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opalred Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 i have seen them some nights a baby elephant walking backwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotpoom Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I often see them down my soi. It's the lesser spotted otter. Really?! Wow. Google time again. Ni need to....So named because it is not seen very often 555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullstop Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Large squirrel. They're everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docno Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 This is a shot I took in a Singapore wetlands reserve. If they have them in Singapore, they likely have them in Thailand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyphodb Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 There are several species of mongoose here, I've seen one the size of an otter here in Isaan, maybe an Otter but I doubt it in any kind of built up area unless their "city" otters lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisb Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 It was just Soutpeel on his way home. Use caution, he'll come up from underneath and rip your canastas clean off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillyflower Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Many years ago, Kipling's Rikki Tikki Tavi was one of the books for my English Matric. I have always loved the story. If you have big, horrid snakes around Rikki will fix the problem for you (if it's a mongoose). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiparovian Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I wondered where my GF had got to...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobwolf Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hi Seastallion, , I would like to know what you are smoking before retiring? sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hi Seastallion, , I would like to know what you are smoking before retiring? sorry Your guess is as good as anyone else's. . But inferences aside....I was not halucinating. I did not think it was an otter because I did not know that otters exist in Thailand....but I was so intrigued, I put-off going to bed and came downstairs to start the OP. I am now convinced it was an otter. The neighbours must have discussed it, because they all believe it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Many years ago, Kipling's Rikki Tikki Tavi was one of the books for my English Matric. I have always loved the story. If you have big, horrid snakes around Rikki will fix the problem for you (if it's a mongoose). Rikki Tiki Tavi was a favourite of mine...when I was 6. I can still recall the drawing of Rikki and the cobra. Matriculation material? Guys, it was definitely not a mongoose. I know mongooses well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillyflower Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Sorrry Seastallion......you're quite right, it wasn't Matric, BUT it was 2nd or 3rd year high school just the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcates29 Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Could it be a back-striped weasel? I know their habitat does not typically extend to Hat Yai. However, I've seen something very similar to what you describe up here in Chiang Rai. To me it looked a lot like a weasel and a google search indicated it was likely a back-striped weasel, as their habitat (barely) seems to include the very northern part of Thailand. Perhaps they are down there too? Before you say "no way", from the wikipedia page: "Little has been recorded of this weasel's habitats and habits. It has been found in a wide variety of habitats, and it is not yet possible to define its habitat needs." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back-striped_weasel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrahmm Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Nessie does Hatyai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Could it be a back-striped weasel? I know their habitat does not typically extend to Hat Yai. However, I've seen something very similar to what you describe up here in Chiang Rai. To me it looked a lot like a weasel and a google search indicated it was likely a back-striped weasel, as their habitat (barely) seems to include the very northern part of Thailand. Perhaps they are down there too? Before you say "no way", from the wikipedia page: "Little has been recorded of this weasel's habitats and habits. It has been found in a wide variety of habitats, and it is not yet possible to define its habitat needs." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back-striped_weasel That actually looks more like it as the tail is not as thick.....but weasels are much smaller than what I saw. This was bigger than a cat, body plus tail I estimate was 70 to 80 cm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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