Javelin

In honour of Jessica Ennis, the British heptathlete, Olympia gets busy with her javelin skills (though I reckon she's going to have someone's eye out in a minute).

Swimming

Here we go - Olympia's favourite sport.

Gymnastics - The Floor Discipline

I don't know, Olympia - is this gymnastics?  Or is it yoga?

Asymmetric Bars

Who knew the clothes horse could be such fun?

 

Diving

Olympia competes in a somewhat lo-fi diving competition.

Olympia's Big Night

Well, Olympia Otter had a lot of fun last night when she attended an Olympic Opening Ceremony party in Brighton.  I'm not at all sure why I wasn't invited, but never mind.

I do hope you didn't drink all that pink fizz by yourself

Everyone made a big fuss of her and she really got into the spirit of things (she also stayed up waaaaaaaaaay past her bedtime).

On the train to Preston Park

Olympia is a big hit with the boys

Wow!  Pyrotechnics!

Ahhh, here come the paps

 

Ring of FIRE!

 

Afer all that excitement, it's time to go straight for the chocolate

Then she got a front row seat for the REAL DEAL.

Olympia

 

Olympia otter and her chums have won gold medals in swimming, diving and water polo, and are looking suitably proud. 

They have been made especially to mark the Olympic games in London and will be available for a limited time until the end of the games on August 12th.  Snap one up here!

Marshall

Little Marshall the otter was auctioned off last night! 

He was the first lot, so he was a bit nervous, but bidding was lively and he helped to add to the £800 or so raised by illustrator James Hood for two charities - Women's Aid and the Wythenshawe Transplant Fund. 

Illustrators and designers from the Annexe Studios, Brighton donated prints and paintings (and otters) and many local businesses gave generous raffle prizes.

Lucky Nishant Choksi made the winning bid for Marshall - a brave decision, as Marshall's hobby is farting under the duvet. Well, Nish - don't say we didn't warn you.

The auction in full swing.

Rayleigh

Rayleigh Otter (get it?) went to live in Cardigan in Wales in 2011.  

His new keepers Mary Llewellyn and Malcolm Obee sent in these delightful pictures of Rayleigh exploring the countryside earlier this year. 

(They also report that fish keeps going missing from their fridge.)

I like to see this picture as Rayleigh having to be dragged away from the map of his territory.

Brrr.  Just back from a bracing swim?

Doing a spot of birdwatching, perhaps.

I love this one.  

 

Nobly posing next to a GIGANTIC otter. Absolutely brilliant!

Lottie

Check out little Lottie on the International Otter Survival Fund shop page!  

She's already on her way to Japan (I hope she packed a magazine and a sandwich, because that's quite a journey).  It would be so cool to get some pics from her new keeper over there.

Oscar

Little Oscar has gone to live in Newhaven and hasn't let the fact that he's clutching a bouquet of flowers hold him back from being a great scientist - oh no.  Super big thanks to Ilona Schofield for her excellent documentation of Oscar and all of his experiments.

 

Wow, those chemicals look pretty full on, Oscar.  Shouldn't you be wearing a lab coat?

Oscar appears to weigh lighter than air!

This looks impressively technical.

Oscar appears to be carrying out some research into doorbells, which is clearly a very important field for both domestic otters and scientists alike.

I have to confess that a simple otter such as myself has absolutely no idea what this piece of equipment is, or what Oscar is doing with it.  Any ideas?  Anyone?

After a hard day in the lab, it's very important to write up your research.

¡Olé!

¡Que fuerte! (I believe that is Spanish for 'wow!') Sarah brought me back this rather splendid otter-sized sombrero from Spain. It's a trifle on the large side, but I think I can pull it off.

Oh, and I've got some great new pics from some otter siblings to share with you very, very soon!