Fish, sunken garbage, Ogopogo and 含羞草研究社� river otters.

A photo of some cute otters playing on a wharf in West Kelowna got a lot of attention on the Kelowna Cap News Facebook page as many residents seemed shocked these little mammals live in Okanagan Lake.

含羞草研究社淚 have lived here all my life and never once have I heard of otters in our lake!含羞草研究社� wrote Delaney Cannell.

含羞草研究社淪hocked!! Didn含羞草研究社檛 know there were otters here,含羞草研究社� added Susan Kramar.

含羞草研究社淚n Okanagan lake???含羞草研究社� questioned Tricia Christianson.

Despite the disbelief online, a local conservation officer says they do indeed call the lake home.

含羞草研究社淲e do have river otters in the Okanagan,含羞草研究社� said Conservation Officer Terry Myroniuk. 含羞草研究社淎nd despite their name, they do hang out in lakes also. Super cute critters.含羞草研究社�

Mignon Fritschi was the one that captured the photo of the romp on Feb. 12, 2017. The family was playing on a snow-covered wharf in front of her home on Angus Drive, above Gellatly Road in West Kelowna.

Fritschi said she has lived at that home for 19 years and has never seen river otters before this year.

含羞草研究社淔our or five days before I took that picture, there were two on the wharf, they were there for a bit feeding on fish. Then I was in my kitchen a few days later, looking out over the wharf and I saw them sitting out there so I had to get a picture,含羞草研究社� said Fritschi.

含羞草研究社淚 sent the picture to a few friends and learned they are river otters and found out they come in the lake sometimes.含羞草研究社�

According to Fritschi, some of her neighbours have seen them in the past, but to her it was a surprise.

含羞草研究社淚t was the very first time I含羞草研究社檝e ever seen them,含羞草研究社� said Fritschi. 含羞草研究社淭hey were hopping in an out, moving around there. Apparently they like to be on the snow.含羞草研究社�

Unfortunately, the otters have not been back since she took the photo and Fritschi does not expect to see them again anytime soon.

含羞草研究社淚t was so nice to see them, to know those animals are in the water, I think it bodes well for the lake,含羞草研究社� added Fritschi.