First otter reaches Farne Islands

bbc ^ | 21 November 2008

[JoeProBono]

An otter has survived a "perilous" three-mile sea crossing to the Farne Islands for the first time, the National Trust has said.The animal, more commonly found in rivers, has swum from the coast of Northumberland despite rough seas.While otters in Scotland do live in coastal areas, Mr Steel said it was "a rare event" to see them by the sea in England.For one to reach an island three miles offshore was, he said, "incredible". "It is staggering that an otter could survive the perilous journey out to the Farne Islands, especially Brownsman, which is a long way from the mainland," he said.

[JoeProBono]

"We almost had to rub our eyes with disbelief when we discovered the tracks," he told the BBC.

"We've recently had force nine gales and it can be tricky to reach the islands even on a relatively calm day, which makes this otter's journey a little bit special."

Mr Steel said the otter may be a young animal, fresh from leaving the family fold and seeking its own territory.

"It might be a lonely animal, but it will hopefully survive," he said.

"There'll certainly be plenty of food, plenty of crustaceans and fish to feed upon, but unfortunately, unless another animal swims out here, it might have a lonely existence. Otter Otters numbers suffered a huge decline in the 1950s and 1960s

"But there's no reason why we can't get a second or third animal. They are obviously exploring this area so, who knows, maybe in the future might have a small breeding population."

The only worry, Mr Steel said, was about the impact the otter might have on nesting birds next summer.

"Unfortunately, otters are carnivores. They will feast upon bird eggs and small chicks so at that moment it may be a slight concern."

In the late 1950s and early 60s, otters underwent a sudden and catastrophic decline throughout much of Britain and Europe, probably due to the combined effects of pollution and habitat destruction.

[Young Werther]

You might say he reached

The Otter Limits!

[allmendream]

[mbarker12474]

There was nobody there to shoot it when it arrived on shore?

[thackney]

Otter Otters numbers suffered a huge decline

Your simple typo brought a smile to my face. Back in Alaska, when cruising Prince William Sound, spotting an Otter floating by led us each to cry out "OTTER, OTTER, OTTER". The boat moved fast and you had to be quick or else the others would miss it. I became such a habit we started referring to them that way always.

We would go to the zoo and someone would say "did you see that OTTER, OTTER, OTTER slide in?

[SonOfDarkSkies]

Great story!

However there are several smaller islands (known as Inner Farne) at no greater distance than 1 mile from the mainland that the otter most likely rested at while making the trip.

[az_gila]

“We've recently had force nine gales and it can be tricky to reach the islands even on a relatively calm day, which makes this otter's journey a little bit special.”

---

Err.... perhaps the poor little otter didn't intend going to the island...perhaps the force nine gale did it...:^)

[wbill]

“That was Otter, he was Dammed Glad to Meet You.”

[IrishPennant]

Did the otter look like this or was he pissed????

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[SonOfDarkSkies]

These islands are ideal for otters because they are loaded with avian wildlife. This otter is obviously on a scouting mission.;-)

[Doctor Raoul]

He’s a non-indiginous occupier and must be resisted...