The latest sighting was captured on Saturday by Northern Echo Camera Club member Nick Southorn, who managed to photograph one of the sleek mammals on the hunt for its next meal.
An otter in Darlington(Image: Nick Southorn/CAMERA CLUB)
The appearance, which happened out of the water, rather than previous sightings of the otters in the River Skerne and River Tees, has reignited excitement over the return of these once-endangered creatures.
It follows several recent sightings throughout 2024 and early 2025, where both individual otters and family groups have been reported.
An otter in Darlington, taken by Nick Southorn of the Northern Echo Camera Club(Image: Nick Southorn/CAMERA CLUB)
Wildlife enthusiasts may recall last year’s “otter fever” in Darlington, when a family of European otters set up home along the riverbanks, delighting onlookers in South Park and near Paddock Farm.
Otters were once driven to near-extinction in Britain during the mid-20th century due to pollution and pesticide use. However, conservation efforts, legal protections, and cleaner waterways have helped their numbers rebound.
Today, experts estimate there may be around 10,000 otters across the UK, with the species now present in every English county.
In Darlington, they have become a welcome symbol of the town’s growing ecological health and thriving river habitats.
Residents are encouraged to keep an eye out for more sightings — and to share any photos with The Northern Echo’s Camera Club.