Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden pond temporarily closed again due to "otter activity"

The Vancouver Park Board announced today that the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden pond has been temporarily closed due to the “appearance of an otter in the pond.”

The otter sighting at the pond was confirmed on Wednesday morning, along with the carcasses of three koi fish.

• See also:
  • Otter peaces out, 11 prized koi lost from Vancouver garden 
  • A wild otter has been eating the koi fish at Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden (VIDEO)
  • Vancouver Park Board brings in wildlife expert to trap Chinatown Otter

The Park Board has not confirmed if this was the same notorious otter that wreaked havoc over the garden last year, killing multiple koi.

But the Chinatown Otter Twitter account is back in action, confirming that #OtterWatch2019 has begun.

Let #OtterWatch2019 begin.

— Chinatown Otter (@ChinatownOtter) November 2, 2019

Staff “took immediate action and began lowering the water levels of the pond in order to remove the existing koi,” said the Park Board.

A live trap has been set. On Friday, six large koi and 74 small koi were removed from the pond and were temporarily transported off-site.

Park Board staff are working to sweep the pond today to ensure all koi are removed.

“We expect to be able to refill the pond within the next 48 hours and re-open the garden.”