An Otter Experience...
A real treat for otter fans and lovers of nature and wildlife. It makes an exciting and unusual animal theme gift for all ages and all occassions. We now offer a joint experience for two persons but in this case the tasks we carry out are shared.
Spend a morning with the keeper at the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary Buckfastleigh and gain an exclusive insight into the secret world of the otter and the work of the sanctuary.
This is a hands on experience and follows the daily routine of the staff at the otter sanctuary, so expect to get up close with the otters and get dirty in the process.
The morning is designed to be educational and fun and it is usually done on a one to one basis but couples can be catered for, although the activites have to be shared. By the nature of what we do those taking part need to be physically fit and agile although we can cater for those with special needs by adjusting our itinerary to suit.
The typical itinerary is as follows:
10.00am Arrival and coffee.
10.15am A tour of the Otter Sanctuary with David Field who has been working with otters for more than twenty years. You will meet the resident otters and discuss daily routines and otter natural history.
10.45am Cleaning out time. This will involve cleaning out otter pools, sweeping up and removing spraints (otter poo !) from the pens. Cleaning out of the otter holts (where the otters sleep) and generally making sure the otters are clean and comfortable.
11.00am Food preparation. Before feeding otters the food needs to be prepared. Depending on the day of visit this may include freezing down the weekly delivery of trout into daily rations. The food then needs to be prepared suitably for the different species of otter that are resident at the time.
11.30am Feeding time. The otters all need feeding and this will usually involve hand feeding some of the more friendly otters, which is very exciting, but some of the larger residents are too lively for novices to feed by hand.
12.30pm Photograph time. Lots of time now to take photos of the otters and chat with staff.
1.00pm Finish.
We recommend you bring stout footwear, wellies and waterproofs.
The cost for the morning is £100 for one person and £150 for couples.
When you purchase the experience on line we will send a gift voucher for you to redeem when contact us to book a suitable day.
Please telephone 01364 642916 or email contact@ottersandbutterflies.co.uk for further details or to arrange a suitable date. We can also help with suggestions for comfortable places to stay nearby.
If you wish to buy an otter experience just click the shop button and add the item to your basket
Take a look at our Facebook group Otters and Butterflies for further photographs and comments of those who have taken part recently.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18
The following are some more messages from those who have taken part recently:
Just a note to say thank you so much to Dave for being so very kind and giving Jim the experience of a lifetime. When told of the surprise visit he was initially less than enthusiastic to the point where I offered to phone and cancel the arrangement. However, he was reluctant to lose face as he had been boasting about a surprise outing to his friends, so came along very reluctantly.
He absolutely loved it. He learned a lot, thought the otters were beautiful and was very proud to have overcome his fear of small animals to the extent of being able to feed a couple of them by hand. All thanks to Dave. I was very impressed.
I'm not very good with email but will try to send a Photo or two as attachments.
Many, many thanks Dave. I really appreciated the way you managed the situation and I loved it too.
Kindest regards, Jackie Owen-Evans
Just got back from the Otter experience and had a amazing time, here are a few photos ( alot ) you asked if we would send you.
You can put funny comments on them if you want we don’t mind. Thank you for making the day so so fantastic.
Paul, Claire & Colin
to david
thank you for the otter experience on the 31st march. i extremely enjoyed the day and would definantly like to do it again. i have images attached to this email which you can use for your website if you want to. once again thank you very much for this once in a lifetime experience.
from Pierre Gorry
Hi
I came along last Tuesday for The Otter Experience - a great day and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks! We'll be sure to return.
I did promise David that I'd forward on photos, so here's one to whet your appetite. I've got loads more (up to 20 or so), but wanted to check first of all before I send them, as that could be up to 15mb, so thought I best check your inbox is clear and ready to receive them!
I've also got a few video clips too which I could send on - again they'll be big files, if you want them.
Thanks again
All best
Paul
Hello Dave,
received the certificate well, thank you very much. We are thinking often about that wonderful day and the great experience we had. Right now I am sorting out our pictures (we made about 950 !). As soon as I am done, I will send you a couple.
Thanks again for a wonderful day.
Susi and Didi
Dear Dave
We would like to thank you for the wonderful Otter Experience that Keira had recently. She thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the morning, but the real highlight was feeding the otters on her lap! We’ve attached some photos (resized), by all means use them on the website if they’re any good.