Otters were on the verge of disappearance from Shropshire by the 1970s but have made a slow comeback to many of the county's waterways. Stuart looks at the ecology and behaviour of these inquisitive and often misunderstood animals while sharing his experiences of monitoring otters in the wild, in Shropshire and further afield.
The talk will also present some of Stuart's favourite camera trap videos of otters and include often amusing anecdotes of his experiences of working with the angling community to advise on best methods for reducing otter impacts on fish stocks.
Stuart said: "Otters have returned naturally from strongholds in Wales to Shropshire and surrounding counties, having been on the verge of disappearing completely. Their presence is a good sign that water habitat quality has been improved since the banning of the toxic pesticides. After 2 decades of living without otters being around, we now need to learn how to live alongside them again".
The talk will start at 10.30am and will be split into two halves of 40 minutes. There will be a 20 minute interval during which hot drinks will be served free of charge.
Tickets should be purchased online in advance: shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/events/2025-05-10-otters-shropshire