Otters .... coming to a town near you

[rlchew]

The Otter is probably my favourite mammal and I have have been fortunate to see at least one on the majority of my annaul trips to northern and western Scotland over the last 20 years or so.

Here is one from Islay in November 2007 ....



.... and here is one from Mull just a few weeks ago ....



I have therefore always associated them with rocky and sandy shores of the far north .... Gavin Maxwell's "Ring of Bright Water".

However, for several years now, Otters have been increasing in their freshwater habitats further south (albeit largely nocturnal and therefore very difficult to see).

Now apparently, they are finding their way in to urban areas according to an annual survey of mammals living in towns and cities, conducted by members of the People's Trust for Endangered Species and Mammal Trust UK.

Urban otters join foxes and squirrels in Britain's towns and cities - Telegraph

Excellent news .

So keep an eye out folks as there may be one of these wonderful mammals coming to a town near you .

Richard

[jennyb]

That is great news, Richard. It also vindicates a thread that I started on WAB last summer when I said that I had seen an otter in my garden by my pond.

I know I live in a rural location, but it was such an unusual site that I thought I was hallucinating. Everyone else thought I'd had too much wine!

It was almost dark, but I was standing quietly by my pond when it walked past. It was just too big to be a mink, so it had to be an otter. It must have walked up from the Kennet and Avon canal which is not far way. I was just soooo excited.

It is really great that they may become a more common sight.

Jenny

[ron1863]

We have had reporsts of Otters on our river, which is only about 6 miles long and a dead one was found last year but have not seen one yet. one day...

[epops]

thers some not far from me now and apparentley there are reports of otters using a stream in Dedham high street BBC NEWS | UK | England | Essex | Otters' footprints in town centre

[Ruth Daniel]

Great news and super pics Richard.
I was lucky enough to see a Mother and 2 cubs on Loch Eil last year and it was an unforgetable experience.

[Tony O-P.]

Have you heard about the curry called Chicken Tarka Masala? Just like Chicken Tikka Masala............Just a little otter! Sorry about that. Cheers, Tony.

[Hobjob]

Some of the less young members of the forum may remember that
many years ago there was an "Otter Trust", near Bungay in Suffolk,
which bred otters and released them into the wild.

They were so successful, with all major rivers in East Anglia being
populated, that the trust had to close down, about 10-15 years ago.

Conservation does have it successes

[Hedge Witch]

Great news, Richard. One of my all-time "would-love-to-sees". I'll keep an eye out

[Richard G.]

Not British wildlife this story, but back in September I was in Florence and standing on the bridge upstream from Ponte Vecchio taking pictures. As we waited for a nice sunset, we noticed something swimming in the river just below us, first thought was a big fat rat, but when it swam over to a muddy bank at the side of the river and climbed out we realised it was an otter, slap bang in the middle of a bustling city. So Gobsmacked, by the time I thought about taking a picture it had dissappeared into the long grass on the bank.

[Concerned]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

Some of the less young members of the forum may remember that
many years ago there was an "Otter Trust", near Bungay in Suffolk,
which bred otters and released them into the wild.

They were so successful, with all major rivers in East Anglia being
populated, that the trust had to close down, about 10-15 years ago.

Conservation does have it successes

Yes I remember it. I used to takes my children there when they were small. Then a few years back they wanted to go again and we could not find it. I was sorry to discover it had closed down but thrilled by the reason.