Today is World Otter Day.
It all started back in 2009 with Otterly Mad Week, a week of events, education and fun and in 2014 it became International Otter Awareness Day.
Finally, in 2016 it evolved into the IOSF World Otter Day on 27th May each year, a day designated to spread awareness of Otters and highlight some of the charities and organisations around the world dedicated to protecting the worlds Otters and their natural habitats.
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the sub-family Lutrinae. The 13 global Otter species are all semi-aquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates.
Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family which also includes Weasels, Badgers, Honey Badgers, Martens, Minks, Polecats and Wolverines.
In the UK, Lutrinae is represented by the Eurasian Otter. It was effectively wiped out from much of it’s traditional range between 1950 to 1990 and it became restricted mainly to Scotland, especially the islands and the north west coast, west Wales, parts of East Anglia and the West Country. It is still a relatively rare but widespread species but it is now again found throughout the country although the largest populations still remain in the traditional strongholds.
The Otter is now protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is also a priority species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework, a European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive and listed as Near Threatened on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
I have seen Otters in the UK on many occasions, almost exclusively in north and west Scotland where they can be seen reasonably easily (especially on the island of Mull) but I have also seen them at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk. In addition, I have seen captive animals at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey.
Here are some of my photos of this beautiful and entertaining mammal:
Photo: Otter at Loch Scridain, Mull, Argyll, Scotland
Photo: Otter at Loch na Keal, Mull, Argyll, Scotland
Photo: Otter at Loch Scridain, Mull, Argyll, Scotland
Photo: Otter at Bunnahabhain, Islay, Argyll
Photo: Otter at Broadford Bay, Skye, Highland
Photo: Otter at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk
Photo: Otter at British Wildlife Centre, Surrey
Photo: Otter at British Wildlife Centre, Surrey
Photo: Otter at British Wildlife Centre, Surrey
Photo: Otter at British Wildlife Centre, Surrey
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