Otters Make Comeback from Brink of Extinction in UK

With one of our dedicated readers, Becky Striepe, being a big fan of otters, how could I pass this story up? Plus, it is a great story.

The UK’s Environment Agency recently announced that otters have “made a remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction,” the League Against Cruel Sports reports.

While everyone must be happy about that, the League points out that everyone wasn’t happy when otter hunting was made illegal in England and Wales in 1978. Apparently, back then, folks in this region used to hunt otters with dogs.

The League writes:

Anyone familiar with the history of hunting will know the initials BFSS and also know that the British Field Sports Society was the forerunner to the Countryside Alliance. This is what Marcus Kimball MP (now Lord Kimball), then Chairman of the BFSS had to say on the proposed otter hunting ban back in 1977:

“Let me warn you that if any attempt is made to add the otter to the list of protected animals, my friends and I in Parliament will argue every clause in the Bill over and over again and add every other animal and extraneous reforms so that the proposal will eventually be talked out”.

I’m sure you’ll agree that the situation for wildlife in 2010 is far from perfect but isn’t it nice to see that the wishes of people like the former Chairman of the BFSS have been ignored so successfully?

Always nice to see a win like this, especially with so many losses these days.

Photo Credit: law_keven via flickr under a CC license

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top