So far (not) so good

Well, no doubt you have all had a tricky time of it during the past six weeks or so due to the extreme weather. No different here, we've had it bad and we're hoping its all behind us. Getting into work was the first hazard on several occasions; frozen roads, frozen padlocks, frozen gates. The list could go on indefinitely.

All of the otters have come through it without any major problems; they were given large quantities of extra bedding and up to a 50% increase in their food intake each day resulting in happy otters but a large dent in the food budget. We think Biggy and Smalley need a diet soon as they have been stealing some food from Libby, who, by the way is coming along very nicely indeed and will even come out when called for by a couple of the keepers.

Tor continues to be the happiest of creatures and it can be very uplifting when, having had a bit of a rubbishy day, you go into to feed him and the gang and he greets you like a long lost playmate; bringing toys and twigs to you to play 'tug of war' and 'fetch'. He is however, completely unaware of the effect he has on keepers when he leaps up to them to get their attention to play. (We hope he might learn to deal with the yells/screams etc one day). We aren't really that scared of him, the real problem is that he has to be the clumsiest cub ever and you never quite know where he's going to end up, or even whether he'll be the right way up! He puts me in mind of young puppies skidding and sliding around, tongues out and madly enthusiastic about everything. Especially food.

Lottie, Pluto, Kernow and Coady are all growing well and still in with their parents.

Some of you may have seen Jill (a British Otter) on your visits here; she had a very bad infection in February last year and recovered well after a very long convalescent period. She was a reclusive otter though and so we moved her away from public view in the late summer. Two weeks later we moved Tino in with her and the result is that she gave birth to one cub in late November. All three are doing fine and we hope to see the cub soon, although we are leaving them to their own devices at the moment.

Dasher, our tame Muntjac Deer had a very serious accident on the ice and broke one of this hind legs. Unfortunately the break was too serious to repair and his leg has been amputated. He is in the early stages of recovery and we are keeping our fingers crossed that he will pull through. He is now back from the vets (Castle Vets, Launceston - who have been great, thank you). At the moment he is in a straw covered stall so we can keep an eye on him for the next few days.

We are pleased that the Wallabies weren't too upset by the prolonged cold weather, we have even seen signs that at least two of them have joeys although we haven't actually seen the babies themselves. Its a very odd sight seeing wallabies in the snow, apparently quite content.

Lots and lots of trees have come down and we've plenty of chainsawing to do together with miscelleaneous renewalls and repairs. No rest for the wicked, eh?