Daphne Neville is an 82-year-old woman who has been on a mission to help protect the otter species at her home in the Cotswolds, UK. This animal-lover has spent the last four decades of her life raising rescued otters, intending to raise awareness for the creature.
Meet Rudi
Rudi is a 14-year-old docile Asian small-clawed otter that has been with Neville since his mother left him as a baby. Rudi is Neville’s tenth pet otter. The adorable creature goes everywhere with her, even into shops. People are not scared of the animal because he looks behaved, cozy, and happy.
Neville said:
With Rudi, I’ve had him since he was three weeks old. He thinks I’m his mum. I’m a part of him, and he’s a part of me. I’ve shown people you can have incredible bonds with these creatures.
Neville claims she would never risk anyone’s safety. She said all of her otters have always been immaculately behaved, and she wouldn’t dare take them out otherwise. “We do shows all over the place. People come from miles away—especially from Australia and New Zealand (because) they don’t have otters there,” she adds.
In 1980, a friend pointed out that her 18th-century converter water mill offered the perfect conditions for otter care. Since then, she has been adopting otters.
Clean Water
Neville has campaigned alongside big names, including Sir David Attenborough, to push water companies to clean the country’s rivers.
The rivers were so polluted with the PCB chemical (polychlorinated biphenyl) that the wild otter was almost entirely extinct. Thankfully, Neville’s actions prompted Michael Meacher and the environment minister under Tony Blair, to announce plans to phase out PCB.
She speaks about her life before she had this mission to save otters. It was just her, a husband and three children living an ordinary life, knowing nothing about otters. “We were just a normal family. But then we wanted to raise awareness about their future,” Neville said.
She adds:
We fought so hard for their safety. Clean water is pivotal for the future of otters and all living creatures. Since then [1980], the rivers have visibly improved.
Animal Alerts
Now, Neville is supporting a device called Animal Alerts. This small device attaches to the front of a car and emits an ultrasonic sound that warns creatures such as rabbits, dogs, squirrels, and possibly otters to stay away. When the animal hears the sound, it will not cross the road as the car approaches. This device could potentially save countless creatures lives from oncoming traffic, and in some cases, a human’s life too.
