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May 4, 2002
Controversy aside, how can you get to
see one in the wild? How easy is it to become a successful
otter-spotter?
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THE REAL THING:
An otter, not to be confused with the voracious
mink.
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Many otter sightings turn out not to be
otters at all but a glimpse of the rapacious mink –
an animal half the size with four times the appetite,
which often seems to have little fear of people.
Yet those who fish forgotten corners of the Fens sometimes
tell of shadows that scamper down the bank and slip
away through the reeds without a ripple.
“It’s not beyond the realms of possibility,”
said Steve. “Anglers and dog walkers have a very
good chance of seeing them, because they’re often
out at the right time of day.”
Dawn and late evening, when the fish they prey on are
also at their most active, are the best times of all
to see otters in situ.
“The longer you spend on the riverbank the greater
your chances. You need to spend as much time as possible
walking,” added Steve.
“There’s not much point picking areas to wait
because you could wait days and then find you’ve
picked the wrong place.”
Otters – especially male otters – can have
territories that stretch along 20 miles or more of river,
so it’s easy to be in the wrong place most of the
time.
Looking at it another way, you’re probably just
as likely to see one on the outskirts of Norwich as
out in the sticks, for the animals have been sited on
the outskirts of cities like Newcastle and Nottingham.
If you do spot one, Steve Henson would love to hear
from you.
Further
details
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