It may be hard to believe but otters have been spotted in Emersons Green.

Check out this piece of film recorded in a garden near the park.

The film is two clips that have been spliced together, that is why there is some discontinuity. Expert naturalist Ed Drewitt confirms that these are definitely two otters and they will have made their way to us from the river Frome.

This is a really exciting finding. Otters were in danger of going extinct just a few decades ago, due to loss of habitat and rivers being polluted with noxious chemicals. But they are now making a comeback! This pair may be making occasional visits to us, rather than living in the park. There is so much we don’t know at this stage but there was another similar sighting last February.

Otters seem to be colonising some unusual spaces. some have even been spotted going about their business in Singapore city. See this Youtube film about them.

In other news – some local people may have been perturbed by the sight of workers with theodolites surveying the park. I have asked South Glos about this and the project is to create a ‘topographical survey’ of the park with a view to future work. There is a plan to improve the path network. We can also expect some desilting works in the ponds over the next few months. These will cause some immediate disruption and some trees will be cleared, but it will help in the longer term to unclog our waterways and increase their wildlife interest.

Finally – look out for The Three Greens Festival – coming to the Park on Sept 25th. Details to follow shortly.