Usually difficult to see, Otters tend to prefer very early in the morning or late at night to venture out and about. Often it is only their distant swimming silhouette that is glimpsed in the near-dark. However, visitors to RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve, in Silverdale, had an extremely unusual face to face meeting with a young wild otter when they came across it sleeping next to the path during their visit.

Inquisitive Otter cub - copyright Dave Hall

Dave Hall, from Carlisle, was one of the visitors who was there and managed to take an incredible photo.
Dave said “I’ve never seen a wild otter before and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it. Amazingly, it seemed as interested in the watchers as we were in it and constantly came back for a look at us before it leisurely swam off up the channel. It’s a moment I will never forget and I’ll probably never get that close to a wild otter again. I’m so glad that I had my camera with me that day.”

2011 has been the best year for otters at Leighton Moss in recent years, with at least five otters being seen regularly in the daytime during the last couple of months.

Throughout the UK otters have made a fantastic recovery, after a devastating crash in the population, which almost drove them to extinction in the 1980s. Their decline in numbers started in the 1960s, which was blamed largely on pollution from pesticides and the loss of traditional habitats.

Up until 1996, otters were regularly seen at Leighton Moss, before they disappeared for about ten years. It is believed that the return of otters to this popular nature reserve has been helped by the habitat management work carried out by the RSPB, thanks to the generous funding by SITA Trust, EU Life fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. 

The digging out of the reedbed debris from the pools, which has built up over many years, has helped improve the water quality of the reserve’s wetlands and has increased the fish population which are eaten by otters and other wildlife. To ensure improved water quality in the longer term, it is important that this sediment removal work continues and wider issues in the catchment are addressed.

Jen Walker, Visitor Officer at Leighton Moss said “It’s really fantastic that these delightful animals are back here again. Since their return, two otter cubs were seen in 2007, another two were seen in 2009 and now there are four cubs being seen together with their mother. Otters are a great example of a wonderful conservation success story. Although there is still an element of luck to seeing wild otters, I hope that more of our visitors may be able to catch a glimpse of these fantastic animals.”