At last- after years of planning through 35,931 words, 276 pages and just over 220 photographs and the inevitable blood
sweat and tears endured with such a huge project, it is finally here and the
story of Shetlands otters is communicated through our book Otters in Shetland- The tale of the draatsi.
As it is for anyone who puts their
heart and soul into writing a book, especially one on a subject so special and
emotive to them, we are immensely pleased and equally proud of this project.
With a gap of over 20 years since anything was published on
Shetlands otters it was really important to us to tell their full story and bridge
a gap between a science-based reference book and a photographic story-telling
book.
From beginning to end the story flows with each and every page
and chapter leading into the next; from the Islands and geography; the foundations
of the food chain; how they live on the coast through to family life and so on.
We also bring in fascinating interviews with Shetlanders who many years ago
once hunted them for the fur trade which offers a unique insight into mans
relationship in the isles both past and present.
Through our time photographing otters we have captured and
documented many, in fact most aspects of their lives and in doing so have created
a unique portfolio of images. Incorporated into the informative captions, which
accompany these images we bring in the fascinating scientific research from Dr
Hans Kruuk, a world leading authority on otters, who we were truly privileged to
have write the foreword and to receive such praise from him is a hugely
gratifying commendation to us.
Our
publisher, The Shetland Times said in their recent press release: "The
book has been gaining plaudits from experts in the field of wildlife and
photography weeks even before its release date" and then went on to quote
Hans Kruuk and wildlife cameraman Doug Allan.
Here's a couple of extracts from the foreword by DR Hans Kruuk:
"...With all
this, the authors make a large contribution to conservation, not just of otters
but of the entire coastal ecosystem. Conservation is served by the simple
statement of the beauty of the animals in the context of science and natural
history, as well as by the detailed explanation of exactly what otters need to
survive.
"The reader is
made aware of the otters’ hardships in terms of exposure to cold waters, of the
need to catch prey quickly as well as keeping their fur clean to keep out the
cold – for which they need the many small sources of fresh water along the
Shetland coast (which, incidentally, are almost absent in places where otters are
few, such as Orkney or the Scottish east coast).
"The book is a
thoughtful object of beauty, of otters, and of the Shetland coasts. The authors
should be immensely proud of this great effort".
Wildlife cameraman Doug Allan:
“This is a lovely book that deserves to be on
the shelf of any Shetland visitor, or anyone who loves the wild outdoors.
Sensitively but informatively written, illustrated by images that could only
have been taken by photographers who clearly love, respect and understand their
subject and the location. "Shetland should be grateful that there are
people with the passion, tenacity and skills of Brydon and Richard, who’ve
truly captured the wonder of Shetland’s best loved mammal”.
TV wildlife presenter Iolo
Williams:
“Brydon
Thomason and Richard Shucksmith have produced a gem of a book which brings the
story of otters on Shetland right up to date. Visually, it is stunning, but it
is also packed full of information on the ecology and history of this most
charismatic of British mammals. Whether you are a fan of otters, a follower of
British wildlife or a lover of beautiful books, this is a must for your reading
list”.
Details
of the book
The book, in
hardback only, costs £28.00 and is available to pre-order through our publisher
here
or
through us
The official launch
date is 12th December in Lerwick at The Shetland Times Bookshop from 14:00 to 16:00hrs
In total we
tell the story of Otters in Shetland through 35,931 words, 276 pages and just over 220
photographs.
We hope you
like it!
