Fred Začek's Image

Lying on his stomach on the river ice, Fred was watching carefully. It was the first time he had seen an otter. It kept diving and resurfacing with frogs, and each time it went back in Fred slid closer across the ice. ‘The sound of the otter’s sharp teeth chewing through a frog as if it was a sandwich was unforgettable,’ he says.

Frogs can form a significant part of an otter’s diet, especially in winter when hibernating individuals, like this moor frog, make for easy pickings. Otters will keep feeding holes open and ice-free through the cold weather – their dense, oily coats act as both insulation and waterproofing.