The enthusiastic historian and naturalist Michael Clegg travels the Yorkshire region meeting colourful characters, looking at interesting places and uncovering some off-beat jobs and trades. In this episode of Clegg's People, Michael Clegg visits the Norfolk Otter Trust and speaks to its Founder, Philip Wayre. At this time, otters are mostly extinct along English Rivers, but Philip Wayre is working to bring otters back to the wild. Title: Yorkshire Television Production Title:...

The enthusiastic historian and naturalist Michael Clegg travels the Yorkshire region meeting colourful characters, looking at interesting places and uncovering some off-beat jobs and trades. In this episode of Clegg's People, Michael Clegg visits the Norfolk Otter Trust and speaks to its Founder, Philip Wayre. At this time, otters are mostly extinct along English Rivers, but Philip Wayre is working to bring otters back to the wild. Title: Yorkshire Television Production Title: Clegg’s People Michael Clegg sits on a riverbank to introduce this week’s programme about otters. He says at one time there were otters on every river in England. He talks about Philip Wayre and his work with the Otter Trust, an organisation that is working to bring the otter back to English rivers. A view follows of an otter swimming across a river, and jumping up onto the bank, other views show a pair of otters in the water and another swimming by the bank. Michael approaches the entrance to Philip Wayre’s wildlife park in North Norfolk. In 1961 the park introduced an innovative way to see wild animals, rather than the caged environments of many zoos. An information board outlines what visitors will experience: ‘What You Can See Here’ This is believed to be the largest collection of European mammals and birds in the world. They are kept in semi-natural enclosures in over 40 acres of parkland. There are approximately 34 different kinds of mammals and 70 of birds totalling approximately 750 individuals. They include Barbary Apes, Foxes, Squirrels, Badgers, Otters, Lynx, Wild Boar, Seals, European Bison, Reindeer, Owls, Eagles, Watrefowl, Cranes, Waders and many more. Variety of children's’ play equipment. Tea-Room – Gift Shop.’ Michael explains it was Philip’s idea to breed endangered European species and reintroduce them to the wild wherever possible. The film shows a souslik or European ground squirrel emerging from its burrow. Other animals shown are deer, coypu, wild boar and reindeer. The park’s main aim is conservation and Michael explains for that the park has won many awards. Philip and Michael walk past a wire fence towards the camera. Off camera Philip explains that he really set out to create a ‘fairyland’ of British wildlife with some European wildlife, however he broadened the ‘reach’ of the project to include many European species. The film shows other European animals such as the mouflon a wild sheep which appears in several parts of Europe, followed by an enclosure housing the European lynx which used to be native in Britain. A European bison grazes on some grass. Michael says that the wildlife park helped to save the bison from extinction. On camera Philip talks about the post-war efforts by zoos to ensure its survival. Michael returns to the otter and its fight for survival. He says that during the 1960’s Philip was the only person breeding native otters in captivity, and now they can release them back into the wild. Black and white photos show the groundworks that were involved in creating the trusts otter pens. Michael asks Philip how he started his lifetime’s work. He says it was the early 1960’s when he was making a film about the wildlife of the Norfolk broads, when he became very interested in otters. At the time the coypu a south American mammal that lived on the broads was being culled because of their massive population and damage to farm crops. The traps they used for the coypu was also capable of catching otters. Philip negotiated with the trappers to take the otters, which is when he started his breeding programme. Philip points out the names of individual otters in the pens nearby. A wild heron lands at the wildlife park hoping to find a stray morsel of food given to the residents at feeding times. The head keeper Pete Flaxman brings trays of fish for some of the otters in their pen. Children watch as one of the otters tries to explore the contents of Michaels canvas bag. Michael and Philip sit on a wooden den in one of the otter pens as a plastic bag satisfies the insatiable curiosity of one of the otters. Philip explains the setting up of otter havens on rivers in Norfolk and Suffolk, so that they could release otters back into the wild. On the bank of a quiet back water, known as pre- release enclosure Michael off camera explains how it used to train young otters to get used to a wild environment before being released. Philip talks to Michael in detail about the care that needs to be taken before releasing otters into the wild. Once released they are monitored and tracked to make sure they are thriving. The film moves on to a woman walking along the bed of a shallow stream. She is Frances Maguire the trusts new conservation officer. Michael who stands on a bridge over the stream asks if she has spotted any otters. She replies there are no signs of otters today, but there are signs of activity. The proximity of a busy road bridge doesn’t seem to deter otters from visiting the area. Frances explains the otters were part of a release programme back in 1984, but not at this site but in a more secluded area. She also says that the otters have bred every year since then. Frances checks a shelf-like bit section of wall underneath the bridge, to see if there has been otter activity. Examination of some otter spraint reveals small bones probably fish bones. On a tranquil area of river Michael accompanies Frances as they walk along the river bank. She explains that the area is one of the otter trust’s release sites, and she believes there is a female otter in the area with cubs. They then move on to a release pen, where otters stay for three weeks before being fully released. The film shows a recently constructed otter holt. As they walk along a grass path Michael asks Frances about other aspects of her work, she says it includes further work with the otter release program and the monitoring of wild otters. Frances shows Michael an area of otter tracks next to the river. General views follow of the river. Michael and Frances walk along a man-made path, laid by the land owner to help the trust’s monitoring of released otters, it is also easy to identify otter tracks on the path’s surface. Michael gets on his hands and knees to examine some otter spraint. Spraint also acts a form of communication between otters which is why it’s found in prominent places which are used over again by other otters. General views show otters in the river, one gets out onto the bank and plays with the microphone the sound technician is carrying. Another takes a close look at a camera’s lens. Two other otters try to get into Michael’s canvas bag, and one manages to extract his hat. Michael asks Philip if it’s possible that Yorkshire Television could ‘adopt’ an otter. Philip agrees and suggests that it should be called Clegg or Cleggie. The programme finishes with music and credits. Credits: Camera Chris Harris Sound David Pape Editing John Hey Dubbing Don Atkinson Production Assistant Catherine Mounsey Graphics Tony Sharpe Producer Marylyn Webb Director Geoff Hall Series Editor David Lowen Executive Producer Graham Ironside. © Yorkshire Television Ltd 1988 End credit: Yorkshire Television production