Otters Return to Ewhurst Park After Decades Absence Excites Locals

Guess what? Otters are back at Ewhurst Park! This is the first time since the 1950s. Someone filmed a mom and baby otter playing. They swam, left scents, and groomed. They even used tree bark to groom their fur.

Otter numbers almost vanished in the UK. This happened in the 1950s and 60s. Harmful chemicals caused this decline. PCBs and pesticides hurt them. These chemicals moved up the food chain. They killed otters and stopped them from breeding.

Since the 1970s, things improved for otters. People banned bad chemicals. New laws protected them legally. Otter numbers in Hampshire are rising. In 1977, they lived in 7% of surveyed spots. By 2009, that number grew to 37%.

Ewhurst Park hadn’t seen otters in decades. Until now, that is! Wildlife cameras caught the otters. Ewhurst Park is a big estate. Mandy Lieu bought it in 2020. Now, they manage it for nature and food.

This park also welcomed beavers back. They were the first in Hampshire in 400 years back in 2023. Baby beavers were even born the next year. Ninety bird species live there now. Many are at risk. Small mammals, frogs, and reptiles thrive. Ewhurst Park has workshops and events.