Star of otter love story signs up as charity’s ambassador

Susan and Billy Mail.

A Devon charity has gained the support of an isles couple who became a media sensation after befriending an otter cub.

Billy Mail and his wife Susan have officially been named ambassadors of UK Wild Otter Trust, which rescues, rehabilitates, and releases otters in need all over the UK.

It comes after a film which showcased the bond between Billy and an otter he named Molly aired on National Geographic this month.

The film, Billy and Molly: an otter love story, covers the chance meeting between man and otter in March 2021, when Billy spotted the emaciated cub in his garden and nursed her back to health.

“Molly arrived at our place dying of hunger,” said Billy. “She was weak, extremely thin, vulnerable, and on her own.

“Locals believe she had lost her mum and sibling to a road death when she was very young so she had struggled through winter on her own.”

He added: “Since Molly entered our world we’ve become very aware of the fragile environment that some otters live in and how vulnerable they can be to scarcity of food during winter months, traffic, and the lack of suitable crossings on busy roads that traverse the habitats they move amongst.

“The UK Wild Otter Trust is respected for its knowledge and expertise and is an influential presence and voice for otters in the UK.”

Otters typically need to stay with their mothers until they’re at least a year old, so their chances of survival are slim to none when a cub is abandoned at a young age.

Billy said his life has changed greatly since meeting the little cub.

“Molly represents so many things to us. Molly is a wee symbol of hope and an example of how humans can help wild animals in a time of need without interfering with the course of nature or having prior knowledge and experience of the species.

“She’s reminded us that the essentials of a simple, happy, fulfilled life don’t require the presence of material possessions.

“Meeting Molly has instilled in us a compassion for otters that didn’t exist before and the realisation that it’s not only otters that need human compassion and help in the UK, but many other species – especially ones that are losing their natural habitat to human activity.”