The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden pond was temporarily closed on Saturday after six koi turned up dead and an otter sighting was confirmed.

According to the Vancouver Park Board, the first carcass was found on Tuesday, and the koi were killed between Tuesday and Friday.

Park Board staff immediately responded by lowering the water levels in the pond to remove the other koi.

On Friday Nov 1, 2019, six larg koi and 74 small koi were removed from the pond for protection from the otter. (AquaTerr Environmental)

A live trap for the otter has been set, but it has not yet been apprehended.

On Friday, six large koi and 74 small koi were removed from the pond. They are being temporarily housed off-site.

Park Board staff are continuing to sweep the pond to make sure that all koi are removed.

The Park Board said it expects to refill the pond within the next two days, but will not return the koi until it is certain the danger has passed. The garden has been re-opened.

Last year, an elusive river otter stalked the pond for weeks, slaying a number of koi and evading Park Board staff for days.

Last year an elusive river otter stalked the pond for days, slaying a number of koi and evading Park Board staff for days. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

The Park Board said it believes the otter came from False Creek, and that an otter was previously spotted crossing Carrall Street.

The adventurous (and apparently ravenous) otter is also back on Twitter: