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In Search of Otter Happiness

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In Search of Otter Happiness

Hi there!

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little about ourselves and our site here.
Why the title, in search of Otter happiness? Well, there's a long ole story behind my love and fascination with otters but we'll just stick with the juicy stuff!

As a kid, I grew up like many other children did watching Tarka the Otter and Ring of Bright Water, films that have inspired me ever since! Growing up in London I spent many an hour after school sat by the otters at London Zoo in total fascination. I developed an interest in photography around this time too, though it has only been in more recent years that I have taken it much further. I often used to joke and tell my mum I wanted a pet otter! well, of course, I was just a kid back then and let's just say that otters and London life just don't mix, not to mention anything about the ethics of it all!!!! .......... so i settled for the next best thing!!! To try to see an otter in the wild (Which i am still trying to realize!) and spending much of my spare time photographing them (as well as other animals) in zoos and wildlife parks! I love to travel abroad too and have been fortunate enough to go on safaris in Africa!

When i was 16 i spent a week at the Tamar Otter Park in Launceston, Cornwall, UK volunteering with the otters and other animals at the park. I funded it and organized it all myself. A truly proud moment with many wonderful memories! I then returned to the Tamar Otter Park just last year whilst on holiday in Cornwall. It was a very emotional time as it turned out to be the last week that the centre was to remain open. Sadly they had to close due to losses as a consequence of the Covid Pandemic.

But enough about me, let's talk about these amazing creatures! Did you know that there are 12 species of otter alive today? They belong to the weasel family and can be found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. They have long, slim bodies with short legs, webbed feet, powerful tails, small ears and eyes, and dense fur . They are expert hunters that eat fish, crustaceans, amphibians, birds, eggs, insects and sometimes small mammals . They are also very playful and social animals that communicate with each other using various noises and scents.

One of my favourite facts about otters is that they have the densest fur of any animal - as many as a million hairs per square inch in places! That's why they were hunted extensively for their fur in the past, which sadly led to their decline in many areas. Thankfully, they are now protected by law and conservation efforts are helping them recover. Another fascinating fact is that sea otters use rocks to crack open shellfish while floating on their backs. They also hold hands with each other when they sleep so they don't drift away. How adorable is that?

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to our site and learned something new about otters. They are truly remarkable animals that deserve our respect and admiration. If you want to know more about them, please check out our other posts where we share more otter facts, stories, photos and videos. And if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us anytime. We would love to hear from you!

Thank you for visiting our site and stay tuned for more otter happiness!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog here! If you would like to find out more about the work that the UK Wild Otter Trust does, please check out their website.