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Wild otter (Lutra lutra), Loch Eil, Scotland: photo by Sheila Rogers, 22 May 2013
Very few species of animal habitually play after they are adult; they are concerned with eating, sleeping, or procreating, or with the means to one or other of these ends. But otters are one of the few exceptions to this rule; right through their lives they spend much of their time in play that does not even require a partner. In the wild state they will play alone for hours with any convenient floating object in the water, pulling it down to let it bob up again, or throwing it with a jerk of the head so that it lands with a splash and becomes a quarry to be pursued. No doubt in their holts they lie on their backs and play, too, as my otters have, with small objects that they can roll between their paws and pass from palm to palm, for at Camusfeàrna all the sea holts contain a profusion of small shells and round stones that can only have been carried in for toys.
Gavin Maxwell (1914-1969): from Ring of Bright Water, 1960
Wild otters (Lutra lutra), mother and cub, Isle of Mull, Scotland: photo by Margaret J. Walker, 26 June 2008
Washing Off. Wild otter (Lutra lutra), preening after a crab supper, Shetland: photo by glidergoth, 23 February 2012
Shetland Otter cubs, playfighting and exploring in a rock pool while adults are off fishing in rough seas. At times they were as close as 6 feet away, but carried on playing while I took pictures: photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie.), 16 January 2011
Shetland Otter with cub -- 2. Playing and splashing around. (Mainland Shetland): photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie.), 6 May 2011
A trio of Shetland Otters. A grim day, windy and rainy, but great for spotting Otters! This family three were having a great time play-fighting and trying to fit the odd bit of food in too. Taken on Mainland Shetland: photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie.), 23 May 2011
Otter family fun, Shetland: photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie.), 23 May 2011
Otter and cub rolling around in the grass before heading back to sea (mainland Shetland): photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie), 19 March 2011
Otter and cub rolling around in the grass before heading back to sea (mainland Shetland): photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie), 19 March 2011
Contented otter, Shetland: photo by John Moncrieff (Crieffie.), 24 May 2011
Sandaig Bay, Scotland. ("Camusfearna" in Gavin Maxwell's book Ring of Bright Waterand the final resting place of Maxwell and one of his otters): photo by Peter Ashby (Pegash), 1 November 2005
for Duncan Jones