From time to time when there are no sheep in Second Lower Moor (no, not an inspirational name, but historically correct), I let the dogs play there by themselves whilst I slip through the gate into the adjacent copse and check out the otter holt. I peek into the entrances and lightly poke about the area looking for trails or spraint.I get a physical surge of excitement just at the prospect of otters choosing to live on the farm. I have seen very few wild otters ever, the sightings don't yet make a handful, and I have yet to see one in Devon although I have smelled their presence just a short stroll from here. So when I saw the picture of Lotty in this Saturday's Western Morning News, I was to be found stroking the newsprint in a quite pathetically wistful manner.
I now have the cutting pinned on my noticeboard, next to my computer, and I gaze at the seven week old beauty, with her black button nose and her black button eyes with something akin to adoration. I wish she'd come to stay.
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7 comments:
I too adore otters... I think it comes from reading Tarka the Otter at a formative age. I wish for you to have otters too!
I'm looking forward to seeing your photos of them
Here's hoping they sniff out your farm. I would be seriously envious.
I do hope they adopt your farm.
They look cute but they can be quite viscious I believe.
Isn't she beautiful?
mopsa, I believe there are otters in our local river the Swale, although there are also sadly minkfor certain in the Ure, released by the animal rights people to kill and massacre the native wildlife, what lovely people they must be. We used to have the otter sanctury up at Bowes too but sadly that's gone too
but I did see an otter three times over a couple of weeks in a certain scottish island last year and as you say that is a magic momment, even if it's just for a few seconds
Thank you M&M - just a small one would do!
WW - if I ever manage that, I would be SO thrilled!
M'ear - I'd be envious of myself if an otter came to call.
I don't think I'll cuddle one, Eurowoof - I know they're not substitute teddybears - my dogs fill that role.
Welshcakes - I think so, even if the downloaded image isn't a patch on the one in the paper.
Bloomin' mink, Arthur - round here they've killed off the watervoles, but friends are busy rearing them en masse and they are being released in mink-free zones to repopulate naturally.
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