York man asks David Attenborough for help with 'otter issue'

David Findlay, 90, has lived in his house at Haxby for more than 50 years - and for most of that time enjoyed fishing in a two-acre lake on his property.

But he says fish stocks have been decimated in the past five years - and he blames otters.

He says his neighbour has faced the same problem and has spotted an otter by their lake.

Advice from the Environment Agency to build a fence around his lake to keep wildlife out was "not practical", added David.

"Otters are blighting my life," he said. "One third of my life used to be concentrated on fishing."

David has even written to TV naturalist David Attenborough to tell him of his plight.

Mr Attenborough wrote back expressing sympathy for the problem but said it was a "local issue" in which he could not interfere.

David Attenborough's letter to David Findlay about his otter problem (Image: Supplied)

Press readers may recall that Mr Attenborough was a vocal opponent in the successful campaign to stop 500 houses being built at Askham Bog in York in 2020.

Now the keen fisherman is calling on other media and TV naturalists such as Chris Packham to "show the true picture" of the otter's predatory and damaging nature.

Otter eating fish at Rawcliffe Lake in York last month. Photo by Brian Hughes of Press Camera Club

David told The Press: "They have got out of hand - otters are more of a danger to the environment than good for it."

He added: "We need to keep them away from York to stop them doing the damage." He said he would prefer to have otters kept in safe sanctuaries where the public could easily see them than have them wild in our river system.

David Findlay by his lake at Haxby

In 2007, The Press reported that what was believed to be the UK's first purpose-built urban otter holt - or underground lair - was created on the bank of the River Foss near Navigation Road. Otters are a European protected species and legislation makes it illegal to disclose the exact location of the holt.

According to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) there are around 11,000 otters in the UK – people often assume from presence alone there are more, but a male can occupy up to 30km of river as a single territory. It is hard to estimate numbers just in York for that reason.

David Attenborough photographed at Askham Bog for The Press in 2016

A spokesperson said a female and two young otters were spotted at Wheldrake Ings last year.

Members of Press Camera Club have been posting photos of otters at undisclosed locations near York in recent weeks.

David Craven, regional manager of YWT for East Yorkshire, said: "Spotting an otter in the wild is such a thrill but still a rare experience, as while numbers are recovering and the species is widespread, they remain elusive and spread across large territories.

"If local rivers are not in great condition then otters may be forced to move out to find other sources of food, which can create conflict with people.

David Finlay's lake where fish stocks have been decimated

"However, it is worth noting that the culprit can often be a case of mistaken identity, as there are far more of the invasive, non-native and similar-looking mink in the UK.

"We need healthy and wilder wetland habitats that support a rich environment of top predators like otters through to fish and dragonflies – and it is possible to restore and create beautiful places that accommodate our need for leisure and well-

The trust added any work done to deter otters must be done under licence from the Environment Agency.