Moor Otters

Otters and cubs find new homes as auction raises nearly £70,000

The sale of the Moor Otter Arts Trail sculptures has raised an incredible £69,330!

The stunning otter and cub sculptures, all decorated by artists and creatives in a variety of colours and themes, captured the imagination of thousands when they were let loose across the National Park and further afield this summer.

The trail finally got underway in May 2021, having been postponed from its 2020 date due to the pandemic.

Eighty-one otter and cubs, standing tall on plinths, were unleashed on five different trails and scores of loyal ‘otter spotters’ searched to find them. Many people made donations along the way at each sculpture or online.

A collection of 56 otters were auctioned online by The Saleroom and a special romp of 25 ‘golden otters’ were auctioned at a live event by Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in Exeter on 2 October.

• The live auction raised £25,980
• The online auction raised £31,990
• ‘Teigny and Tiny' by Teignmouth-based artist Laura Wall fetched the highest bid in the online auction, selling for £3,220
• ‘All Creatures Great and Small' by Elizabeth Kitson – the roaming otter and one of the 25 golden otters – sold for £3,020
• Three sculptures, 'Mother of Pearl – The Pearly Queen of Dartmoor' by Corinna Barrell - Mosaic Rocks; 'Wheal Otters' by Alexis' Art and 'Agnes and Olave!' by Alice Lovell and the Buckfastleigh Guides, all sold at a ‘buy it now’ price before the auctions even got started!

We'd like to thank everyone that supported the project, the artists, businesses, sponsors and valued partners as well as everyone that enjoyed the trail and bought an otter. All money raised will support conservation and access projects on Dartmoor.