Cheer up, it might never happen... Baby otters sport matching glum expressions

By KERRY MCDERMOTT

Olympic inspired: The adorable baby otters have been named Jess, Sophie and Mo after Britain's Olympic champions
Enchanted staff named the cute creatures after three of Britain's Olympic gold medal winners; heptathlete Jess Ennis, distance runner Mo Farah, and rower Sarah Hosking.

Their Olympic namesakes inspired scenes of jubilation across the country with gold-medal winning performances at the London Games.
But these adorable baby otters - named Jess, Mo and Sophie after three of Britain's 2012 Olympic superstars - all sport less than enthusiastic expressions.
The tiny oriental small-clawed pups, weighed less than half a pound and were just three inches long when they were born at Bournemouth Oceanarium in Dorset.

Why so glum? The cute baby otters sport identical sorrowful expressions at Bournemouth Oceanarium

Enchanted staff named the cute creatures after three of Britain's Olympic gold medal winners; heptathlete Jess Ennis, distance runner Mo Farah, and rower Sarah Hosking.
The oriental or Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species in the world, and is distinctive for its forepaws, which give the creatures a high degree of manual dexterity allowing them to feed on molluscs and crabs.

Playful: the baby otters weighed less than half a pound and were just three inches long when they were born at Bournemouth Oceanarium

The oriental or Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species in the world, and is distinctive for its forepaws, which give the creatures a high degree of manual dexterity allowing them to feed on molluscs and crabs.

Namesakes: The otters have been named after heptathlete Jess Ennis, distance runner Mo Farah and rower Sophie Hosking

Solemn: One of the solemn faced otters, left, is cuddled by a member of staff (right) at Bournemouth Oceanarium in Dorset

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Ssh! I'm trying to sleep: Moment otter wakes up to realise its photo is being taken

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

What time do you call this? With its paw to its face, the sleepy otter does not look happy to be disturbed

Few of us look our best when we’ve just woken up. So when this bleary-eyed sea otter was confronted with a camera, there was only one thing for it – to go back to sleep.
After appearing to put its paw to its cheek in horror, the otter relaxed back into the water.
While it may look like it was praying to be left alone, Jon Cornforth, who took the picture in Elkhorn Slough, California, explained that otters hold their paws out of the water to keep them dry and warm.

Drifting off again: The furry creature appeared to have its paws together in prayer as it relaxed back into the water

Mr Cornforth said: 'The sea otters are well known and cooperative photographic subjects.
'I worked with a local guide who took me on his boat to photograph the otters at sunset several afternoons in a row.'
The photographer explained that otters' paws are the part of the animal with the least amount of fur, and that they hold their paws out of the water while resting in water to keep them dry and warm.
'As cute and serene as the otters appear, they can become quiet aggressive with each other, especially when mating,' he said.

source: dailymail

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Sea what I can do! Nellie the otter shows off her cup-stacking skills

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Clever girl: Nellie the sea otter takes cups from her handler to stack

If you're going to teach an animal a new trick, it might as well be one that will come in handy.
So the zoo keepers at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium had the right idea when they taught Nellie the sea otter how to clear up after herself.
In a video posted to YouTube, staff at the Tacoma, Washington zoo show how the creature has learned to stack cups.

Making waves: Nellie takes three cups and puzzles out how to stack them

Balancing on her back, the otter takes three cups from one of her handlers and plops them inside each other using her paws and mouth.
The handler cheers her on - yelling 'good!' after each successful stacking attempt - before repeating the task several times.

Getting there: Nellie lives at Point Defiance Zoo in Washington state

When the smallest cup is put inside the largest, she figures out another one should fit in between and empties the whole lot out to start again.
The trick is part of her enrichment exercises and shows otters' willingness to be trained.

Relaxing: She leans back in the water as she stacks them on her belly

Impressed? She shows off the cups - part of her enrichment - to the camera

She may have a friend nearby - Abra, a fellow otter - but Nellie needs no help to stack the three plastic cups.
At the end of the video, which has been viewed more than 485,000 times, she looks at the camera to show off her handiwork.
Otters are fast problem solvers, and use their trickery to catch food in the wild. Zoos have found they can solve puzzles and memory tasks for treats.
Nellie performs her tricks for audiences at Point Defiance, and will feature in the zoo's Sea Otter Awareness Day on September 23.

source: dailymail

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Otterly relaxed! Chilled-out pals put their feet up after dinner off the Californian coast

By DANIEL MILLER



California Dreaming: This group of sea otters get into the West Coast lifestyle as they settle down for a snooze while floating on their backs near Moss Landing



Come on in, the water's fine!

This delightful group of sea otters prove they really know how to relax in style as they float on their backs while taking a communal kip off the Californian coast.

The furry creatures were snapped by wildlife photographer Michael Yang as they put their feet up after a hard days fishing near the village of Moss Landing.

Their brilliant technique is to swim out into the open water and doze off letting the tide gently carry them back towards the shore, whereupon they wake up and paddle back out to repeat the process.



Otterly wonderful: One of the chilled out creatures stifles a little yawn as he is awoken from his slumber



Except that is for one clever critter who discovered he could sleep for longer periods by anchoring himself to the seabed with kelp.

Photographer Michael explains: 'While resting, each otter seemed to have its own peculiar way of arranging its paws.



Good night guys: The marine mammals swim out into open water and let the tide carry them back to the shore whereupon they wake up en masse and repeat the process all over again



'Some otters put their paws on their chest, some cover their eyes, and some put their paws straight up as if they were signalling a touchdown.

'This is just one example of anthropomorphic characteristics which make the sea otters so enjoyable to watch.

'Because of the tides they were constantly being pushed towards the shore where we were.

'Whenever they got too close, one would stir up, causing a chain reaction waking everyone'.

Sea otters are classed as an endangered species after being hunted to near extinction at the turn of the century.

But thanks to conservation programmes they are beginning to make a comeback although there are still only estimated to be 3000 living in the wild.



source: dailymail

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Caught on CCTV: Culprit who stole 39 goldfish from garden pond is unmasked as an OTTER

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

The otter runs around the pond, which is firmly covered with the plastic net, looking for a way in

A retired couple who set up CCTV cameras in their garden to catch the mystery predator which was eating their goldfish finally discovered it was a hungry otter.

Pensioners Elizabeth and Harry McDougall were devestated to find their collection of 27 goldfish, in two ponds in their garden in Carlisle, had been wiped out.

All that remained after the night-time attack were fins and scraps of skin.


Sneak thief: The hungry otter, below right, appears by the side of the pond and first sees the plastic mesh

The couple restocked the ponds and fitted a strong plastic mesh, installing CCTV to try to find the culprit.

Three weeks later, the predator struck again, killing all 12 of Mrs McDougall's new fish.

This time the CCTV recorded the incident on camera and now the couple have released the footage to show the thief at work.




source: dailymail

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Otter-ly adorable! Furry family of three look like they are having fun in the sun... while it lasts

By INDERDEEP BAINS



Give me a kiss! This family of three otters share an intimate moment as they bask in the sun after tucking into dinner



After a slap-up fish lunch, with the prospect of a nice snooze in the sun, the baby otter was no doubt thinking that life doesn’t get much better.



Then a double hug from its mother and father proved him wrong.



Geography student Ben Marshall, 18, captured the touching moment while on a visit to the Marwell Wildlife park in Winchester, Hampshire.



He had glimpsed the otter family through a gap in the brick wall of their enclosure but could not see enough to take a photograph.



Otters are playful animals and appear to engage in various behaviors for sheer enjoyment.



The newborn pup is taken care of by the mother, the father, and all the other offspring.



Female otters reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of age, while males can produce offspring at approximately three years of age.



After one month, the young otter can come out of the cave, and after two months, it is able to swim. It lives with its family for about one year so that it can learn and be kept safe until maturity. Otters live up to 16 years.



Different species vary in their social structure, with some being largely solitary, while others live in groups – in a few species these groups may be fairly large.



source: dailymail

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Experts are foxed as first ever footage of urban OTTER making its home in city dock emerges

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Conservation officers in Bristol first became aware of the otters after finding droppings by the city's floating harbour

Conservationists have captured this amazing footage of a new breed of 'urban' otter which is shunning the countryside in favour of city centres.

Researchers have discovered that the usually-reclusive water creature - immortalised in Kenneth Grahame's Wind In the Willows - are encroaching into cities.

They set up hidden cameras and captured an urban otter making a home by a floating dock in the heart of Bristol city centre - just yards from a shopping mall.


Researchers believe greater access to food is one of the main reasons for the change - just like the growth of the urban fox


The footage - the first to ever show otters in a city centre - has stunned experts who had previously believed the furry creatures were too timid to venture out of the countryside.

They believe greater access to food is one of the main reasons for the change - just like the growth of the urban fox.

Phil Quinn, an ecologist who launched the study, said: 'It is just extraordinary. They are a very thriving population.


The footage - the first to ever show otters in a city centre - has stunned experts who had previously believed otters were too timid to venture out of the countryside


'There have been reports of otters in smaller cities but never in a city centre like this.

'Most ecologists working with otters would look at this situation and say - no chance.

'We were not even thinking of otters and then we just found the evidence - which is their droppings. They are very distinctive looking and very distinctive smelling things.

source: dailymail

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Otter-ly adorable! Boy racing sea otter at San Diego Zoo is an internet sensation

By JENNIFER MADISON

New pals: A toddler has become an instant internet sensation after a video of the boy racing a sea otter went viral


You could say they got on swimmingly.

A toddler has become an instant internet sensation after a video of the boy racing a sea otter went viral.

The video of the boy playing chase with a sea otter at the San Diego Zoo has scored over 1million hits in less than one week's time.

The video - the only uploaded by YouTube user mmoyerssd1 - was posted last Sunday and quickly caught the attention of animal fans around the world.

It shows a blond little boy running back and forth alongside the California zoo's sea otter tank, side-by-side with his new pal.



Somersaults in the sun: The otter, feeling quite social, playfully follows his every move even as the boy tries to trick his new mate


The otter, feeling quite social, playfully follows his every move even as the boy tries to trick his new mate.

The marine mammal is seen doing an underwater somersault in a bid to catch up and give chase in the opposite direction.

The boy giggles in response, running back and forth as passers-by laugh in delight.


San Diego Zoo: One of the largest in the world with with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species, it is known for its many friendly characters


The zoo - one of the largest in the world with with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species - has become widely-known for its many friendly characters.

In March, a playful young panda bear named Su Lin grabbed headlines after cameras caught her having a roll in the snow and sticking her tongue out at spectators.

And last year Otis the hippo became a sensation after beaming a smile for visitors' photos as they posed next to his tank.


Playing with an Otter-1


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Hold tight mum, I'm just drifting off: The otterly adorable dozing otters!

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Fast asleep: In this tender picture the pup looks utterly content as he floats along on his mother's belly


There's nothing like a little snooze after you've had your lunchtime feed, but maybe this wasn't the perfect moment for junior to drop off.

His mother - a rare white otter - ended up having to balance her four-month-old babe on her belly after he nodded off during suckling in the water.

In the end, she carefully rolled the sleepy boy into the river where he continued to doze afloat on his back.


Clinging on: Just like a human baby, the whelp enjoyed suckling his mother's milk before eventually dropping off


Retired marine biology teacher Brian Maxwell, 69, captured the Intimate moments in and estuary in Moss Landing, California.

He said: 'It was just amazing that the son was content to just fall asleep anywhere.
'They were really sweet and after a while the mother got hungry and rolled her son into the water so she could dive for clams.'

However, her efforts were interrupted when her youngster was taken away by the current and she had to keep breaking away from her fishing to tow her son back to safety.

Father-of-three Mr Maxwell, from Alaska, America, said: 'We were on a pleasure cruise when this really pretty mother popped up with her son.


When the pup eventually dozed off his mother got on with some fishing, returning every now and then to check that her baby hadn't floated away


'She was grooming him and he was suckling and eventually he just nodded off. It was quite cold so he stayed on her stomach to keep warm.

'Her son remained asleep on his back while she went below the water's surface and came up with a clam that she would open and eat.'

'However, in between her food runs she would have to grab her son and tow him back to safety because the current was pretty strong and kept taking him away.

'The mother didn't mind us coming up quite close and she was there for about half an hour.'

Brian added: 'To spot a white otter is very rare so the incredible moment was made that bit more unique.

'In the end, the mum got about 12 clams and my friend and I were just relieved she was able to catch up with her baby before he strayed too far in the water.'

source: dailymail

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Giant River Otter pups

In this photo provided by Zoo Miami, a litter of two Giant River Otter pups are held during their neonatal exam on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at Zoo Miami in Miami, Fla.


The male, left, and female pups were born at the zoo on Jan. 31, 2011, and are expected to open their eyes within the next week and begin to learn how to swim.


source: Daylife
photo: AP photo

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Get your skates on, kids, it's breakfast time!: How a family of Somerset otters went dancing on ice

By PAUL HARRIS

Snouting about: It appeared to be a perfect morning for the otters to undertake a spot of fishing - but they had to overcome one small problem first


They say we’re heading for the coldest winter in decades. Thermometers are set to plunge to record lows and snow, ice and misery are on the way.

But down by the water in Somerset, if you’ll pardon the pun, everything seems to be a little ‘otter’.

Dancing on ice, this family of charismatic predators sees no ­reason to be deterred by the big freeze. So it’s on with the fur coats, and down into the cold water.

Taking a lead from their Polar-dwelling ­mammal cousins the seals, these otters cracked a hole in the thinnest section of ice this week and went hunting for a snack from nature’s freezer.

One emerged a little later with a handsome perch that must have imagined it was perfectly safe to swim in open waters when there was a 2in thick roof over its head.

The family, probably a bitch and her three cubs, were messing about on the Somerset Levels, a wetland area in the middle of the county. Dad, it appears, was dog tired at home on the couch (another name for the holt that otters build in the riverbank).


Ice skating: Perhaps not realising how cold the ground was, one fleet-footed otter skips across the river, eyes wide looking for a thin ice spot to break


Follow me: Sitting at the ice's edge, the otter gestures to her family to join her on the ice from the comfort of their holt in the riverbank reeds


Lynne Newton, who took the pictures, said: ‘I saw something on the ice and I thought it was a mink.

'As I got closer I heard the ice cracking. Then I saw it was an otter . . . and another, and another, and another.

‘I stood watching for about 20 minutes. I could see them cracking the ice, swimming underneath it and catching the fish.’


Fishing trip: Following their mother's lead the three cubs join her on the icy water as they look for a good place to set up camp to hunt for food


The Eurasian species (Lutra lutra) is native to the UK, but was threatened with extinction two decades ago. A recolonisation plan was put into action, and now their presence is a sure indication of clean water.

In Somerset, 83 per cent of casualties are caused not by chemicals, sewage or the stripping of river vegetation, but when otters try to cross the road. The fact that this is where most people encounter otters makes the sighting of four of them skating especially unusual.


Breakfast is served: Having jabbed through the thin ice with a paw, this otter tucks into a tasty treat - but there didn't appear to be any second helpings


But by the weekend, they might have to learn to ski as well. Forecasters are warning that the second bout of Britain’s Big Freeze is set to bring up to 8in of snow in some parts overnight. Temperatures are likely to fall below -10c.

So what will happen if the otters’ ice rink becomes impenetrable? Happily, they can also survive on birds, mice and anything else that doesn’t see them coming first. But they will need to fluff up those fur coats for a while yet.


source: dailymail

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Kingfisher's return crowns the great riverbank revival

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Kingfisher: Three times as many seen this year


During last year’s harsh winter there were gloomy predictions that waterside wildlife would be devastated.

However to the surprise of experts there has been a mini-renaissance in the birds and animals that depend on rivers, streams and ponds.

It was feared that kingfishers, in particular, would starve to death as water froze over.

But a survey of rivers and canals logged more than three times as many this year as last, proving the ‘river royalty’ to be more than a match for the weather.

The kingfisher is not the only species riding out the storm, with numbers of newts, toads and otters also on the rise.

British Waterways, which conducts the annual poll, had feared that coldest winter for more than 30 years had taken a devastating toll on wildlife.

Unable to break through the ice on ponds and streams to get food, thousands of kingfishers and other water birds were expected to starve to death.
Last summer’s floods also washed away many nests.

But against the odds there were 596 sightings this year, a 217 per cent rise on 2009.
Numbers of otters started to climb after harmful pesticides were banned in the 1970s and it became an offence to kill the animals intentionally. They are also benefiting from a clean-up of rivers, which has allowed fish to return.

The resurgence of the otter is good news for the water vole. Once a common sight, it became the fastest declining native mammal thanks to pollution, loss of habitat and predatory mink.


The otter: It has benefited from cleaned-up rivers, allowing fish to return


The number of mink spotted this year dropped by more than a third, probably due to the rise of the otter.

Mark Robinson, British Waterways national ecology manager, said: ‘The decrease in the number of mink could be related to the recent increase in number of otters, as our native otters out-compete mink for territory. Water voles often make a tasty meal for mink.’

He added: ‘Following last winter’s harsh weather we were concerned that some species, and in particular kingfishers, could suffer. I’m delighted we’ve had so many records of kingfishers this year.

‘The results really show the resilience of nature and the importance of our canal and river network in providing vital shelter and food for a wide variety of wildlife.’
The survey logged a rise in house sparrows but drops in hedgehogs, grass snakes and coots.

source: dailymail

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Terrified mother confronts 'noisy burglar' in her kitchen only to find... an orphaned baby otter

By Daily Mail Reporter

Lost and lonely: The baby otter was hungry and dehydrated. It is now being looked after by the RSPCA


A petrified housewife tiptoed downstairs to confront what she thought was a noisy burglar in her kitchen only to find - a little orphaned baby otter.

Sheila Manisier , 44, discovered the three-month-old mammal foraging for scraps after her daughter Laura Manisier-Hilton, 13, heard noises at their home.

Brave Sheila crept into the kitchen fully expecting to find an intruder but instead spotted the foot-long juvenile otter cowering underneath her kitchen table.

Healthcare manager Sheila fed the female otter a £10 piece of raw cod and has now handed it over to the RSPCA.

Sheila, who believes the otter entered the house in Taverham, Norfolk, through an open back door said she 'couldn't believe' her eyes.

She said: 'When I first saw it I thought it could be a rat but when I got closer I saw the brown fur and long tail and realised it was something else.

'I've never seen an otter in the wild before, let alone under my kitchen table so it was such a shock.

'It was so lucky it came into our home because we are real animal lovers and so I had a dog crate in the garage which I was able to put it into.

'I'd also been shopping that morning so had a lovely piece of raw cod in the fridge, which the otter jumped on and gobbled up so quickly.


Night-time surprise: Sheila Manisier, with daughter Laura (right) and au pair Larisa Ionita. She is holding the bowl she unsuccessfully tried to get the otter to drink from


'I put out a bowl of water for it to drink as well but it didn't understand it could drink it and instead tipped it over and rolled in it.

'We are still finding it hard to believe that it happened, but feel very privileged that it did.' Sheila and keen horse rider Laura, who live with Romanian au pair Larissa Ionita, 22, heard their dogs barking at 11.45pm on Monday.

She was concerned that a burglar may have entered the property but was relieved to discover the otter.

The RSPCA are now caring for the kitten at East Winch rehabilitation centre in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA revealed that the otter is 'very young' and should have remained with her parents until she was one year old.

She said: 'The otter has been examined by a vet. She is quite poorly and very dehydrated and has been given fluids and antibiotics.

'We have no idea how it came to be in the home, but juvenile otters can be naive and can get into all kinds of trouble if they wander away from their mum.'


source: dailymail

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