Gardener loses £7,000 of koi carp after otter eats 100 fish from pond

Ross McGuinness
Updated ·3 min read

Watch: Otter eats more than 100 koi carp after sneaking into garden pond

A retired teacher says he is "angry and frustrated" after an otter raided his garden pond to eat more than 100 fish worth an estimated £7,000.

Kieran McCarthy, 68, from St John's in Worcester, Worcestershire, was devastated to find that an otter had devoured 106 of his koi carp.

He suspected the otter was responsible when his fish started to go missing from his pond on 20 October.

He also found the carcass of a fish dumped by the side of one of his two ponds.

Kieran McCarthy, 68, retired teacher from St John's in Worcester, is absolutely devastated after an otter killed 106 of his Koi Carp from his front and back ponds over a five day killing spree. Here is the back pond now drained. 30th October 2022. See SWNS story SWLNotter. A retired teacher has been left devastated after an otter killed over a hundred fish in his garden pond in just five days. The hungry otter tucked into thousands of pounds worth of Koi Carp fish swimming in a garden pond in Worcester. Kieran McCarthy, who has been looking after fish in his home for 25 years, said otters are absolute 'killing machines' when you have pet fish. Mr McCarthy, a former teacher, said he has contacted professionals who have given him prevention tips if he decides to get more fish.
Kieran McCarthy at his drained pond after an otter killed 106 of his fish. (SWNS)

Despite spending £140 on chicken wire to cover the top of the pond, the otter still managed to keep squeezing into the water to kill the fish.

Mr McCarthy, who has five children and seven grandchildren, has caught the otter on camera in the pond in the middle of the night.

He believes the otter killed 106 koi carp in the course of just five days.

COLLECT - Kieran McCarthy's pond full of fish. Kieran McCarthy, 68, retired teacher from St John's in Worcester, is absolutely devastated after an otter killed 106 of his Koi Carp from his front and back ponds over a five day killing spree. 30th October 2022. See SWNS story SWLNotter. A retired teacher has been left devastated after an otter killed over a hundred fish in his garden pond in just five days. The hungry otter tucked into thousands of pounds worth of Koi Carp fish swimming in a garden pond in Worcester. Kieran McCarthy, who has been looking after fish in his home for 25 years, said otters are absolute 'killing machines' when you have pet fish. Mr McCarthy, a former teacher, said he has contacted professionals who have given him prevention tips if he decides to get more fish.
How Kieran McCarthy's pond looked when full of fish before the otter attacks. (SWNS)

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“I’ve been looking after fish for 25 years but I've never seen anything like this before," said Mr McCarthy.

"I'm cheesed off, angry and frustrated but an otter does what an otter does. I have spent £140 on chicken wire and I spent all day in the pouring rain securing the back pond.

"I keep two ponds, one in the back garden and another at the front. It was all about the otter, no matter the cost to its victims or me.

"I couldn't believe that in a built-up area, we would see an otter like this. It has been six consecutive nights and you can't relocate otters because they are a protected species.

"But it's hard to see the fish's throats being slashed or getting infected. The otters keep finding a way in, they are very intelligent creatures.

COLLECT - Video grab of the otter in Kieran McCarthy's pond. Kieran McCarthy, 68, retired teacher from St John's in Worcester, is absolutely devastated after an otter killed 106 of his Koi Carp from his front and back ponds over a five day killing spree. 30th October 2022. See SWNS story SWLNotter. A retired teacher has been left devastated after an otter killed over a hundred fish in his garden pond in just five days. The hungry otter tucked into thousands of pounds worth of Koi Carp fish swimming in a garden pond in Worcester. Kieran McCarthy, who has been looking after fish in his home for 25 years, said otters are absolute 'killing machines' when you have pet fish. Mr McCarthy, a former teacher, said he has contacted professionals who have given him prevention tips if he decides to get more fish.
Kieran McCarthy caught an otter on camera in his pond. (SWNS)

"It's caused absolute havoc and I know I can't get rid of them. The council told me I was lucky to have otters in my garden.

"But when you have fish, they are absolute killing machines. I've been shooing it away with my torch, but one night it didn't work, he looked me in the eye and carried on.

"He is so brave. He comes into the garden between 8.30pm and 5am.

"He doesn't follow a schedule or a set diet. I have had pet fish for years and they're hard work and they are very expensive to keep. I can't go through all of this again.

"It's just soul-destroying, I don't blame the otters, what they are doing is part of nature."

Koi Carp are some of the most expensive fish in the world, with some even fetching more than £1m at auction.