Dartmoor Otters

So there is something I am just a little bit crazy about - apart from squirrels... and its otters.  Cuteness overload!!!

I took the kids to the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary - thinking it was going to be a really dismal day - but was so pleased to see that the sun shone and it wasn't particularly cold either. 

We were super lucky to have a personal tour by the head keeper as he did his rounds in feeding the otters.

I was pretty amazed to hear that they can live up to 28 years in captivity ( they have a 26 year old at the moment) but because of pollution and predators ( mainly human) in the wild, they will only live up to 5 years.

Otters are still in the endangered list - so we didn't mind having to pay up for the privilege to get up close to them today.. knowing that the money is going directly to a good cause.

A male otters territory can be up to 5 km up and down the river - and I grinned to hear that he can have up to three females in his territory - so a chick in every port... 

Below is a picture of one of the larger otters they had. The American otter is about 4 feet high - huge!! However the sea otter can be up to 6 feet high.. far out!

It was heartening to hear that the sanctuary works with the other Otter places around the moors with a breading program, and that the pups of the British Otters are destined for release into the wild. about 15 odd years ago when I was last in Cornwall on my bike, I went to the Tamar Otter Sanctuary - which ws pretty similar to this one.  I was glad to hear that it was still going strong.

Below is a picture of Paprika - a british otter and much smaller than his American cousin. he weights around 15 kg.

We were unrushed as we wandered around; and the keeper even opened up one of the burrows so that we could see inside.

I love finding these little gems and even more thankful to be blessed with sunshine as we walk around.