Otters or squatters? Trio of wild otters take up residence at Flamingo Land in Kirby Misperton
Three otters have moved into the lakes and surrounding waterways of a North Yorkshire theme park.
The semiaquatic trio were spotted on camera trap footage scurrying between water sources at Flamingo Land in Kirby Misperton.
They include a mother and her pup, indicating a promising future for the 'near threatened' species.
Park organisers say the otters' arrival highlights the conservation work they do.
"Flamingo Land has always taken pride in its award-winning animal care and conservation through captive breeding programmes and international conservation projects," a Flamingo Land spokesperson said.
"While much of their international work is well documented, their work to conserve the habitats and wildlife found locally is less publicised.
"The fact that multiple otters have been seen, is testament to the health and cleanliness of the local watercourse, the Costa Beck, and the lakes on the site.
"In the future Flamingo Land hopes to build on this success and would like to see more native species returning to the site. Planned projects include white-clawed crayfish and red squirrels."
Footage captured by a zookeeper at the attraction shows the otters eating fish and even appearing to curiously approach the camera.
Facts about European otters
The European otter, also known as the Eurasian otter, has a diet mainly of fish, and is strongly territorial.
They have webbed feet.
Their lifespan is roughly four years in the wild but many live longer in captivity.
The European otter's latin name is Lutra lutra
European otters differ from many other species of otter in that they are solitary, and males and females will only meet during the breeding season.
50 years ago, European otters were almost on the verge of extinction in the UK after suffering dramatic population declines, mainly due to habitat destruction, pesticides and poor water quality.
European otters are now listed as threatened by the IUCN
The projected recovery of European otters in the next 10 years is unknown but they are considered 'Largely Depleted' in the wild