Rangers excited after 'bouncy' otters spotted

Rangers at a popular nature reserve were "excited" after they spotted a family of otters acting "playful and bouncy" on trail cameras.

The mum and two cubs were first seen on 11 April at Stanwick Lakes, in Northamptonshire, proving it had been a successful breeding season, staff said.

The mammals were not normally seen this clearly, so it was a "real highlight for the team".

Ranger Michelle Branson said: "Otters are one of our most charismatic mammals, and to be able to see these playful snippets of their lives on our trail cameras is such a privilege."

Branson continued: "It's great to see that our otters have bred successfully again this year."

She said they are known as "indicator species" whose populations are heavily impacted by the quality of the environment and are sensitive to pollution and water contamination.

"Having not just one otter, but a whole family at Stanwick Lakes is a brilliant sign that the ecosystem is healthy and that our lakes and little stretch of river are in good condition," she added.

Branson said: "The cubs are very bouncy and playful at the moment, but at this stage are likely to be learning to hunt alongside their mother."

Rockingham Forest Trust, which runs the site, believed the footage shows the cub's "first forays into hunting".

The cubs are likely to stay with their mother for a year or two before "becoming fully independent", it added.

Its resident male otter has also been making regular appearances, leaving spraints (poo) to mark his territory.

"We don't often get to see otters this clearly, so footage like this is always a real highlight for the team," the trust said.

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