Otters

Otters do live and breed on Skye, and with patience and quite a bit of luck, you may see one almost anywhere around the coast. You are more likely to see one in the water than on land. They have an acute sense of smell, sight and hearing and will almost certainly disappear if they become aware of your presence. They are more likely to be spotted in the early morning. If the water is very calm, you may spot the v-shaped wake of a swimming otter (they swim with just a little of their head protruding above water). Otters eat  fish, birds, small mammals, frogs and crabs. They are often larger than people expect with an adult being between 1 and 1.3 metres in length and weighing 7-9 kg. Sometimes you may see something in the water and dismiss it as a seal, but it is often worth having a look with binoculars in case it is an otter.

Best otter spotting spots on Skye - Rubha Hunish, Irishman’s Point, Rubha Arnish, and Kylerhea Otter Haven (which has a purpose built hide). The Bright Water Centre in Kyleakin has lots of information about otters and other wildlife and you can take a trip to Eilean Ban, the island out in the Kyle straits where Gavin Maxwell (author of Ring of Bright Water) lived for a time; there is now a museum there and otter hides.

Good luck!