Play fights are a long honoured tradition on many a family swimming trip – although they are not usually between mother and son. However, this was the situation today when a mother otter and her pup jokingly came to blows at the British Wildlife Centre in Lingfield, Surrey.
The pair pushed, prodded, strangled and scrapped in a bid to stay afloat and dunk the other and the whole raucous affair was caught on camera by photographer Sue Edwards, 51.
She said: ‘These two European Otters were play fighting with each other in open water. Otter pups stay with their mum for up to a year after birth and play fighting is an essential part of their development to hone their skills for survival. I was fascinated to watch their antics, pushing each other under the water, grabbing, boxing, biting, and wrestling each other. However, I was also very much aware that there is a serious side to their behaviour. On river systems otters are extremely territorial and fighting is common, particularly in populations that are nearing carrying capacity, and this may result in death.’
The fight between the two otters, nicknamed Emmy and Franklyn by the centre’s staff, went on for ten minutes and Mrs Edwards took these snaps from only 12 metres away.
She said: ‘Emmy, as any mother would, admitted defeat and went to sleep on the bank. I hope that future generations will continue to have the opportunity to see our native wildlife in their natural habitats. I believe we should respect our natural heritage and that our existing countryside. The return of otters to most of England has been one of the major conservation success stories of the last 30 years.’
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