Today, Wednesday 31st May, is World Otter Day 2023!
Did you know that there are otters living in the River Frome?
Other than spotting an elusive otter by sight, one of the best ways of identifying otter presence in the local area is by spotting their spraint, or droppings. Otter spraint can be easy to notice, once you know how – especially as otters often leave their droppings in clear locations such as on rocks or logs near to rivers. These distinctive droppings are very dark in colour (almost black!), and contain small pieces of bone. Perhaps most unusually, their droppings smell like jasmine!
Our Climate & Nature Officer has seen several instances of otter spraint in the local area, suggesting that there may be otters living right here in Frampton Cotterell!
If you want to learn more about how to spot otters, the National Trust website has an article on Top Tips For Spotting Otters!
Have you noticed the presence of otters in the Frampton Cotterell? We’d love to hear about it!
