Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Royal Cornwall Show

When Mandy and I took over this park in 2006 some of our friends thought we were going mad as it was such a change to our previous way of life. Perhaps they were right and maybe we're going even madder because a few weeks ago we were invited to take some of our otters to the Royal Cornwall Show, a huge three day event with all sorts of country pursuits and activities going on.

We were provided with a tent only 30 yards from a beautiful fishing lake in the Countryside area along with an outside area in which to build a portable pen.

Barry, one of our keepers, and I spent some time designing and building a portable pen that would keep the otters in and people, dogs etc. out. A few days before the event we went to the site and built the pen, which included a large bath for the otters to plunge in as they wanted.

Mandy and I had already chosen the otters who were to accompany us; Biggy and Smalley, because of their bold nature. Taking British Otters to a show like this might be too much for them, with all the noises and sights. British Otters also need an awful lot more security as they are much bigger and more athletic than their Asian cousins.

On the Wednesday evening before the show we arrived on site with our boys. We showed them round and let them have a little swim before putting them to bed at 10pm. They were good as gold. Straight to sleep and no going to the loo in the night (much appreciated when we were sleeping only 2 feet from them). They woke up at 630am and were bright and confident. 

They spent all day playing with a keeper, sleeping on a keeper or getting a keeper as wet as could be.

They took no time at all to get used to the hubbub of the show, the shooting, the horses and cattle moving around and the tannoy descriptions of the various events that went on from dawn 'til dusk.

By evening they were quite tired so we put them to bed early and they slept through just like the night before. 

When they had been young they had been toilet trained, we didn't expect them to remember it but to our amazement they did! Just one small accident in nearly four full days.

Their good behaviour continued throughout and they were the stars of the show (in my opinion anyway). 

On the Saturday evening we returned with them to the park and reintroduced them to Leap and Cinnamon. This can be tricky as even after short absences some otters don't seem to recognise one another but not in this case. They seemed genuinely pleased to see each other and were all soon rolling gently with on another in the water, even ignoring the food we had taken down for them.

All in all it was a great experience for us, and them too. The seemed to enjoy the change and the additional attention. The only real drawback was that they didn't have an otter policy in the beer tent so we couldn't take them in (joking!).

All of the otters here are fine. Carmen's cub are a joy to watch now that they can swim well and are confident enough to come out when the public are there.

We have been less succesful with our birds of prey though with no chicks as yet from any of them although some are still sitting.

Its all go so I'd better get back to it while its light.

Thanks to all who helped us at the Royal Cornwall and hope to see some of you at the Launceston Show if all goes to plan.