0:00:02 > 0:00:06The west coast of Scotland. A beautiful but harsh place to live.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09This stretch of the coastline
0:00:09 > 0:00:15is home to two otters, a mother and daughter team who are inseparable.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We will follow these otters through a difficult period in their lives,
0:00:18 > 0:00:20finding out if the cub will make it
0:00:20 > 0:00:23through her first and most dangerous winter,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26and if this special relationship will endure.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38The lochs and estuaries of the west coast
0:00:38 > 0:00:42provide shelter and rich feeding grounds for otters.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Very few coastlines are home to as many as here,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49making this the UK's otter capital.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02This two-kilometre stretch of coast is home to our pair of otters.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08The youngster is only nine months old,
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and she will probably stay with her mum for another six months.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16At this age she is very playful,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19despite already being nearly as big as her mum.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26The close bond between mother and cub is obvious,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29and the reason for this is fishing.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Fishing is a skill which has to be taught.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49The cub is never more than a few feet from her mum,
0:01:49 > 0:01:50watching her every move.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Mum knows which rocks are best for finding fish
0:01:56 > 0:01:59and has regular fishing grounds.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05The cub is learning fast,
0:02:05 > 0:02:10but catching fish and hanging on to fish are two very different things.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29It's January, and the middle of the harsh, Scottish winter.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Seals laze around on the rocks unconcerned by the cold weather.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37They have a thick layer of blubber to insulate their bodies.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Otters only have their dense fur to keep them warm.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46This means they have to burn a lot of fuel,
0:02:46 > 0:02:51eating at least 15% of their body weight in fish every day.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Fishing is everything.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14And not just for the otters.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Red-breasted merganser are adept fishers,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28even if they sometimes bite off more than they can chew.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And even the hooded crows are in on the act,
0:03:37 > 0:03:42checking around rocks for stranded fish and, of course, crabs.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Most of these neighbours are ignored,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56but Mum is cautious of a nearby heron.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04A stabbing peck from that beak is something to be avoided.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17This sheltered inlet is perfect for the otter family.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21And up on the rocks is another reason this location is ideal -
0:04:21 > 0:04:23freshwater pools.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Otters need plenty of places to drink within their territory.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38In midwinter, severe storms are par for the course,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41and often batter the coast with hurricane-force winds.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51Amazingly, even in these conditions, the otters are still out fishing.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54They have to, or they will starve.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04If mother and daughter become separated, the cub will not survive.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15The storm is nearly at an end,
0:05:15 > 0:05:20and across the sea, the mountains have an icing of snow.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24Against all the odds,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27both mother and cub have made it though this storm,
0:05:27 > 0:05:32but there will be others to face through the rest of the winter.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37SEABIRDS CALL
0:05:40 > 0:05:43It's the beginning of February,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and Mum and cub appear to be doing well.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Mutual grooming to clean up after their latest fish meal
0:05:50 > 0:05:54helps to further strengthen the mother and cub bond.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Between meals, the cub seems content to sleep.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Mum carries on fishing, occasionally checking on her daughter.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30The cub is getting better and better at fishing.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Crabs are great practice,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41and disorientating them helps to avoid those pincers.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56The cub still has to rely on Mum for much of her fish
0:06:56 > 0:06:58but that's all about to change.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03Mum is very reluctant to let her share this catch.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11Perhaps she's finally forcing her daughter to fend for herself.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20As March approaches,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23a big change is in store for the otter family.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27This territory no longer just belongs to mother and cub,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29another otter has moved in.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34It's a male, and he could mark the end
0:07:34 > 0:07:37of the special mother/daughter relationship.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42He seems quite at home fishing in their stretch of coast.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Lumpsucker fish are his favourite food,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and this one should keep him going for some time.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Should he stay in this area,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00he could be a potential mate for the cub's mother.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08For now, though, he seems more interested in the rich pickings
0:08:08 > 0:08:11this inlet has to offer.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19If her mother does eventually mate with this male,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21the daughter may have to leave.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Mum will not allow her grown-up daughter to compete with her for food
0:08:25 > 0:08:28while she raises a new cub.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Until that time,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36the special mother and cub relationship will continue.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Subtitles by BBC Broadcast - 2005