Otter art trail brings a splash of colour to popular Black Country zoo

Over the past few months, the Asian short-clawed otter sculptures have been colourfully decorated by talented local artists who have been inspired by a variety of themes including the zoo, the natural world, the Black Country and pop culture.

The Spotter Otter trail can now be seen around Dudley Zoo.

The project was officially launched by the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Andrea Goddard, on Saturday when some of the artists and their families also visited the zoo to see the otters in situ.

Those involved have included Halesowen College students, Learning4Life, West Smethwick Park ‘Happy Painters’ Group, The Art Yard, Visual Artists Collective, Back Room Art and the Dudley Society of Artists.

The sculptures will remain there this week as part of the zoo's half-term Carnivore Week celebrations.

After the school holidays, they will be moved out to various venues around Dudley for residents to discover, before returning to the zoo in time for the summer holidays.

At the end of the season the statues will be auctioned off to raise funds for The UK Wild Otter Trust and The Himalayan Otter Network.

Dudley Zoo's head of education and conservation, Jack Williams, said: “We’re incredibly excited about this project, which not only aims to provide the local community with a unique opportunity to engage with wildlife, but we also hope to shine a spotlight on the threats both native and non-native otters are facing in the wild.”

Find out more about the project by visiting dudleyzoo.org.uk/spotter-otter-trail