Kendal's river bank otters prove a big attraction (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Kendal's river bank otters prove a big attraction
2:30pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in News
Kendal's river bank otters prove a big attraction
GROUPS of onlookers have been lining the banks and bridges of the River Kent to see the playful antics of a family of otters that has moved into Kendal town centre.
A wildlife expert says that people are enjoying regular sightings of the three otters as the mother is teaching her pups how to hunt.
There have been sightings of the otters all along the River Kent from the Riverside Hotel to K Village.
But David Harpley, conservation manager at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said the spectacle would not last forever as the youngsters would be chased out by the mother once they are grown up and know how to fend for themselves.
“It is a very good sign that these otters are breeding here because it shows that the water in the River Kent is clear,” said Mr Harpley.
“Because nobody hunts them anymore, like they did back in the 1970s, they seem to be losing their fear of humans a bit and we’re beginning to see them in the daylight a lot more.”
Justin Grammer, of Kendal, was walking his dog with his wife and son when he first saw the otters swimming and playing in the river.
“We just sat and watched them for about 20 minutes,” said Mr Grammer. “It was absolutely beautiful to see them playing and speaks volumes about the Lake District for the fact they’re present in what is basically the middle of town. Hopefully the more people know about them the more we can do to look out for them.
“They really put a smile on my face.”
The Kendal otters are not the first example of the creatures breeding near humans. Exactly one year ago, The Westmorland Gazette reported a family of otters at Waterhead Pier near Ambleside, with the mammals being so at ease with their human counterparts that one photographer was able to get a close-up snap of them.
Comments(2)
life cycle too
says...
10:09am Sun 19 Feb 12
The eggs of Canada geese even...?
It is high time that nature was left to it's own devices, and was allowed to restore a natural balance, without man interfering with feeding or killing species it feels ill at ease with!
The return of the otters is a great step in the right direction.
Wilson Grizleymire says...
3:15pm Thu 9 Feb 12
And that"s because everybody has cleaned up their game. The otters decline was due to lost habitat and poisoning of the rivers by industry and the use of Dieldrin group of insecticides on the land which started in the 1950's. We have been watching Otters on the Bela now for a number of years, normally at day break and they are very curious and often have a good look at you.
“Because nobody hunts them anymore, like they did back in the 1970s"
The last otter hunt on the Kent would be in the early 60's and the hunt would perhaps visit a stretch of the river only once a season,hardly a reason to put the fear of god in to the Otter population for over 50 years. They are curious by nature and as the population increases so will sightings.
What we need to do now is to help other endangered species. When I was a lad we had gardens and hedges full of song birds ..now we have Crows,magpies and collard doves ..Time for a thin out. Some sad news to end ..A few weeks ago a large Dog Otter was found dead on the road at Belasett. We are now watching to see if a new dog moves in to it's territory.