Moor Otters auction goes live
After an extremely successful launch at Bovey Castle last week, the Moor Otters can now be bid for online.
Bidding for all 100 Moor Otters opened on 1 June 2017.
Thirty of these, nicknamed the ‘Golden Otters’, will go on to a live auction hosted by Bearnes Hampton Littlewood on 30 September ’17, taking bids from the results of the online auction.
Dartmoor National Park hopes that auctioning off the 100 colourful Otters will raise invaluable funds for conservation and developing the work of the organisation across the vast National Park.
Moor Otter spotters can find life-sized Otters painted in a variety of themes and colours (from Harry Potter to Batman!) positioned around Dartmoor gateway towns and other surprise locations.
The public can see what the Otters look like and which ones are ‘Golden’, on the Moor Otters website where they can also find an interactive trail map. Spotters that manage to find 20 Otters have the chance to win one of a number of fabulous prizes! The otters will be available to see throughout the summer months and organisers hope they will encourage visitors to explore more widely Dartmoor National Park.
The public arts initiative aims to raise £100,000 in support of projects to conserve and enhance Dartmoor’s wildlife, landscape and improve accessibility for everyone to the Moor.
Dave Southern, Project Manager for the Moor Otters campaign said: “Getting everyone involved is imperative to help raise the important funds needed to carry out ongoing conservation work in Dartmoor National Park. We hope people will be excited at the opportunity to own a Dartmoor Otter, but also in contributing to a very worthy cause!”
Alongside conservation projects and improving accessibility, the money raised from the campaign will be used to help develop Dartmoor’s Junior Ranger programme, which supports educational access and engages young people in conservation projects, creating conservationists of the future.
Dave added: “The trail is a fantastic way of showcasing the rugged untouched landscape of Dartmoor, getting people active and walking across Devon, as well as a chance to see all the fun, colourful Otters we have on display! The initiative is also going to benefit the local economy with an expected increase in visitors to the area.”
The trail is the first of its kind for a National Park and the support of our valued partners is very much appreciated in its success thus far. The following organisations have pledged their support for the campaign: South West Water, Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood, Absolute PR and Marketing, Western Morning News, Melchior Chocolates, Jolly Roger, SW Colour Laboratories, Mail Boxes Etc and Bovey Castle.
