"We didn't bring otters to Rutland Water - they chose to come here"

America has fallen, but Rutland continues to thrive.

BBC News reports:

Matt Scase says he is often asked when otters were introduced to Rutland Water Nature Reserve.

However, the nature lover, who works at the reservoir for the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, tells the BBC people are always surprised by the answer.

"We actually didn't introduce them - they chose to come here," he said.

"That's a good sign for us because they wouldn't have come unless we had a really good quality of water."

"Well, that and the fact we have a massive reservoir with loads of fish they can eat. That helps too." 

And:

Mr Scase has spent recent weeks out and about on the reserve trying to capture footage of the mammals.

He said: "We describe them as elusive but it's actually getting much easier to spot them because they have been thriving here.

"We are not sure about the exact number [of otters] but we can see a mixture of male adults and females and cubs."

Lord Bonkers comments exclusively for Liberal England:

It just shows that Rutland is open for business and offers a welcome to all. 

While there are currently no vacancies on the staff of the University of Rutland's famous Department of Hard Sums, if any American academics want to send their children here for safekeeping during the current unpleasantness, my own Home for Well-Behaved would be an excellent choice. Please direct all enquiries to Matron (she's usually better before lunch, if you catch my drift.)

Otters playing in the Welland at Market Harborough

The Welland, which only a few weeks ago was threatening to flood the town, is becoming overgrown for the summer.

And here, posted yesterday, are an otter and her pups playing in the narrowing channel.

Thanks to The hedge finding missile for the video.

Otter dies after being caught in a snare in Little Bowden

A shocking story from Harborough FM:

An investigation has been launched after an otter found seriously injured in Little Bowden died.

It had been caught by a snare, which caused a deep wound and was still attached to its body.

Staff from Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital in Kibworth took the wild mammal to a vet, but it had to put to sleep because of the serious nature of its injuries.

Police and the RSPCA are investigating the incident, as otters are a protected species and there are strict rules governing the use of snares.

The Harborough FM report has interviews with the member of the public who spotted the otter and PC Kelly Tones from Leicestershire’s Rural Policing Team, who is investigating the incident.

Anyone with information should contact the Police on 101, quoting reference 24*39510.

Lord Bonkers writes exclusively for Liberal England: I'd be all for leaving the person responsible alone in a cell with some tooled-up otters while the custody sergeant went for his lunch.