Dorset Otter Group

THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE (OR NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!)

I started with the Otter group around three years ago, and have been checking for signs at a couple of places ever since, but to no avail. I have to say, although I appreciate that not finding signs can tell us as much as finding them, my enthusiasm was beginning to wain a little. About a year or so ago, as I worked there, I took on the task of checking for signs at the RSPB's Radipole Lake nature reserve, in Weymouth. I was beginning to wonder if it was all worth it when, a few days into 2003, everything changed.

The first signs were found as North Hide was being opened one morning in early January. A few, faint, five toed prints in the first early morning frost of the winter, so faint they might have been missed, were it not for the eagle eyes of one of the reserve staff. A short, ghostly, record of our nocturnal visitor, they told the story of it hauling itself out in the middle of a bridge, exploring the reserve and leaving a tantalising hint of its presence. More prints were found and, later that day, exploration of the upper reaches of the reserve revealed yet more footprints in the mud all along the river bank and, to our joy, fresh spraint.

We decided to pay an early morning visit the next day, to see just how far up the reserve the signs went. The cold weather had set the scene perfectly. The frozen water was dusted with snow, and yet more flakes drifted around us in a gentle breeze. The sun, not long above the horizon, painted the clouds a wonderful range of colours, and our breath steamed in the air, surely a perfect setting.

As we walked past the tracks we had found the day before, our sense of anticipation mounted, some tracks seemed fresher, was that our imagination? Others were covered by a light dusting of snow, they were obviously old. Then we reached the bridge. There, on a girder, was yet more spraint, so fresh the snow around it had been melted, surely it was no more than an hour or so old.

As we stood there, with snow flakes drifting around us, the nearby road, packed, bumper to bumper, with the morning commuter traffic, created an amazing contrast. Could they have any idea of what we were up to, or what we had seen? Feeling a little like an explorer, standing there, staring at a pile of poo, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Was the creature responsible watching us, wondering at these strange animals, kneeling in the snow to sniff at its “deposits”. We'll never know, but I can honestly say that rarely have I had such a magical and moving experience, I swear I was blushing with the excitement. Was it worth a three year wait ? What do you think!

Since then we have checked the area several times and, at the time of writing ( early March ) we are still finding fresh tracks and spraint, so our guest is still around. The question on all our minds now is will a mate arrive. Although there have been several sightings of Otter at Radipole over the last decade or two, they have always been brief and, to our knowledge, no animal has stayed around this long. If one Otter can find us, then why can't another. Breeding Otters in the middle of Weymouth, now wouldn't that be a story!

Nick Tomlinsom