RIP the Tobermory harbour otter

[32511]

[32511]

...
Joined
18 Oct 2008
Messages
11,735
Visit site
The over-friendly local otter has been missing for some weeks; his body was found last week under an upturned dinghy on the slip. It appears he crept in, and died of illness or old age. He must have been the most photographed otter in the country; long lenses were not needed!
 
sad to hear
Like many visitors to Tobermory, my family and I were delighted to see him, even when he came on board and had a peek down below. Hope another one takes up residence in his place.
 
macd said:
"River Otters have been known to live sixteen years in captivity, and may live 10 - 20 yrs in the wild. Sea otters can live up to 25 years of age, although the average lifespan is 10 to 12 years. "

According to the ubiquitous Wiki.
Click to expand...

Very interesting, though possibly wrong.

Recently I attended a talk on otters organised by Natural England, and frequently help out with an otter watch on the Somerset Levels. The average lifespan was given as between 4 and 6 years....

Elusive little buggers, but wonderful to see.

4332500913_8961b41542.jpg
 
Last edited:
What is it about otters that make them so cute?

Sadly, it’s reckoned there are only 8,000 otters left in the whole of the British Isles.

There’s a great group based up in the Isle of Skye called the International Otter Survival Fund. Not only do they run an otter hospital for injured otters or cubs who’ve become separated from their mums, they are also active in research on otters and helping to protect the species – not just in the UK but around the world. However, money is always tight.

For many years while we lived in Oz, our Christmas pressie to our little twin nieces was sponsorship of an otter cub being reared by IOSF. They loved it, especially the updates and photos.

http://www.otter.org/IOSFwork.aspx

Peter & Jean
 
In the last 12 months on the Somerset Levels, 8 otters have been found dead, with the majority of them being road-kill. There are a few groups trying to survey the population, but the experts seem to agree that such a relatively high number of casualties isn't good.

The area I visit is mostly worked out peat moors that are now nature reserves for either Natural England or the RSPB.

At the lecture I attended, it was suggested that all the otters in this country are river otters, rather than true sea otters.... they just hunt wherever the food is.
 
My Dad used to take us to a pub in Chipperfield where they had a Water Otter.It was in a bucket in the back garden on the end of a chain.

Pull the chain out and on the end of it.....a kettle!
 
Rustyknight said:
In the last 12 months on the Somerset Levels, 8 otters have been found dead, with the majority of them being road-kill. There are a few groups trying to survey the population, but the experts seem to agree that such a relatively high number of casualties isn't good.
Click to expand...

Interesting. With some other animals, an increase in the number of road-kill is taken as an indicator of an increasing population e.g. hedgehogs.

Sorry about the Tobermory yin. What will we do for entertainment while eating our fish suppers now?
 
Rustyknight said:
In the last 12 months on the Somerset Levels, 8 otters have been found dead, with the majority of them being road-kill. There are a few groups trying to survey the population, but the experts seem to agree that such a relatively high number of casualties isn't good.
Click to expand...

In the parts of England I know well there has been an enormous increase in the number of badgers. This has corresponded with an increase in road kills.

I agree with Awol, the road deaths in Somerset probably indicate an increase in the number of otters living there.
 
Let's hope so. Part of the survey is noting runs the otters use, and looking for spraint (pooh). Of course, there's no real telling from that how many otters would be in the area, as apparently an adult can cover up to 20km a day/night in the quest for food.

A few people are trying to collate information from sightings, but to most people, one otter looks much the same as another. One day a week we try to have a small team spread between the various hides on the reserve, but sightings seem to have become few and far between recently.
 
Rustyknight said:
.... sightings seem to have become few and far between recently.
Click to expand...

That'll be due to the very cold weather - they are all hiding away somewhere 'otter! ;)

Seriously speaking, I hadnt realised there a so few. On one road into Lymington there is a sign saying "Caution - Otters Crossing" - never seen any evidence of this, myself.
 
I don't know about now, but in the 70's and 80's when I was a regular visitor to the Highlands they were a fairly common sight. There was a B&B I stayed in near the head of Loch Duich where you could watch otters playing in the loch whilst you eat your breakfast.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top