Thursday 2 February 2012

OTTERS ENJOY ICE AT THE PARK!

I braved the icy winds earlier this morning armed with my camera to make the most of the soft winter sunlight. The objective was to share a few Otter moments with you! When it’s this cold (-4 degrees C overnight with a wind chill factor of many degrees lower) it’s quite challenging for the Keepers to ensure all the animals have access to un-iced water! After the Otters’ drinking water was broken up this morning they not only enjoyed a drink but made a game of the experience by breaking off off lumps of ice and playing with them! Asian Short-Clawed Otters have very dexterous front paws that closely resemble tiny hands. In the wild they use these to forage for food in shallow water – mainly molluscs and crustaceans. In captivity they are often seen playing with stones – holding a small round pebble between their front paws, tucking it under their arm and running around with it, then rolling it across their tummies whilst lying upside down on the grass – a real test of skill when seen through human eyes, but an obvious source of relaxation and enjoyment for our Otters!

Close-up at water bowl DSC_0179 Showing off winter coat DSC_0199

Profile of Otter's head DSC_0183


Jules Brittan - G.M. Seaview Wildlife

2 comments:

  1. Fabulous pictures - they are so photogenic; and it's lovely to see pictures of their behaviour usually only seen by park staff- thank you!

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    1. Hi Rachel

      Thanks for your comments - the Otters really are photogenic! Glad you've enjoyed sharing some special moments of Otter antics! Best wishes, Jules and the Team.

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