Otters
Ah Otters, our Mum had a cuddly toy version of Tarka the Otter when we were younger so I’m going to take that as we’ve grown up with them (not far-fetched at all) I also always remember that Terry Nutkin lost a finger to an Otter, true wildlife and not to be messed with.
Whilst they were once a rare find across much of the UK, now you can find them in a wide variety of place - if you’re patient enough ;-) They can also be seen throughout the year.
We first encountered Otters when we went across to Mull in April and that’s when the love affair began. Luckily for us we’ve seen the same pair on two separate occasions and it’s an unbelievable joy to have them allow you in to their world.
Whilst you’ll frequently find Otters in salt water, they actually have to be near fresh water to rinse their coats. They live in “holts” which are most frequently found a good distance from the shore and requires them to cross the road, which is unfortunately one of the main causes of fatality.
We were touring the island with our partners, and saw a sole Otter so made our way down to the shore crossing a wide but shallow stream.
A slight wobble on the rocks and the sound of something falling – uh oh! On the outside I’m going “OH! Kate, are you ok – is your knee ok?” but on the inside I’m thinking….Oh my god, please let the camera be ok! She doesn’t know that until now…that’s me off the Christmas card list. She was rewarded with some outstanding pictures of him eating an unknown but very fancy looking fish!
