Daring otter pair enjoy life on the wildside after escaping from park
A PAIR of otters that made a bid for freedom when a tree fell on their enclosure at Tilgate Nature Centre are enjoying a new life in the wild.
Sky and Taz made the great escape after an oak tree damaged their pen in May.
Nature centre staff set traps but the wily twosome gave them the slip in favour of a walk on the wild side, feeding on plentiful fish suppers from Tilgate Lake.
Nature centre manager Simon said: "A mature oak tree just came down overnight onto their fence – which doesn't happen very often.
"They got out and we set up traps but there's lots of fish in the lakes so they've been catching their own fish and stuff."
Simon said the pair had became more elusive as they adapted to their new habitat.
"To start with they were seen quite a lot because they were a bit nave about dogs and things, but the longer they were there the less they were seen."
He added: "In the wild European otters would normally have a territory of around 40 kilometres or so they do wander quite widely.
"There are quite a lot of lakes on the other side of the motorway and there's the River Mole, they do have massive territories."
It was a blow for the centre as the furry creatures were so popular, but Simon said there were no plans to replace them.
He said: "They were very popular and it was quite stressful at the time but they seem to be doing OK and there's not much we can do about it now.
"We haven't got any plans to replace them, they were quite difficult to get hold of in the first place and there's still quite a lot of work to do on the enclosure.
"I think we'll probably get some more waterfowl."
And there won't be the patter of any tiny otter claws just yet. Simon added: "She's on a long term contraceptive implant and they are solitary animals and there aren't many around.
"It's not that likely that they will meet any other, there aren't many in Sussex and they don't live as a pair."
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Weather for Lewes
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 14 C to 21 C
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