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Otter Spotting on the River Dee
Date: 04.07.2012
Type: Biodiversity
Members of the public attending Denbighshire Countryside Service’s Biodiversity Train Ride event on 12 June were incredibly lucky to see an otter in the River Dee near Carrog Station. As part of the event, Senior Countryside Warden Rhun Jones was taking part of the group on a wildlife walk along the riverbank where they were very fortunate to be able to watch an otter swimming around in the river.
“There can’t be many better ways to spend an evening in June” said Rhun. “Not only were we lucky with the weather, but for a group of us to have the opportunity to watch an otter hunting for food for such a duration of time was astounding. The otter was totally unfazed by us and we were able to observe her for about half an hour. Initially, she was about 150m downstream of us but she quartered her way up the river and right past us! I know it will be a moment that I, nor anyone else on the walk, will ever forget.”
These fantastic photographs of the otter were captured by Sam Hyde Roberts who was attending the event. He said “it was so nice to have the encounter with the otter, it was the first one I've seen on the Dee. They are a pain to photograph and they are so fast and always pop up in just the wrong place!“.
Otters are elusive animals so this encounter is a rare experience, despite otter populations increasing in recent years. Otters are one of the reasons that the River Dee is designated as a Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest. The river and nearby habitat provide everything otters need including abundant fish for food and suitable areas of shelter on land.
Special thanks must go to the local landowner, Mr David Blair who kindly gave us the opportunity to access the river on his land as we weren’t on a public right of way.
For more information about otters visit the Mammal Society website or contact Denbighshire’s Biodiversity Officer, Lizzy Webster on 01824 708263 / elizabeth.webster@denbighshire.gov.uk.
