True happiness is having an otter on your lap. That’s the verdict of 23-year-old Rosneath girl Robyn Hunter, who studied to be an artist and spent five years as a chef before finding her true vocation at Loch Lomond Sea Life Aquarium. Robyn has spent 12 months gradually winning the trust of resident Asian otters Lily and her two offspring, Pickle and Cub.
“They are naturally wary of humans, and new faces especially, and it takes a long time for them to fully accept anyone,” said Robyn.
Lily’s maternal instincts mean she is the more guarded of the trio, and so when Lily suddenly climbed on to Robyn’s lap and lay there to be petted, Robyn was moved almost to tears.
“It was confirmation that she has complete trust in me, and a signal to Pickle and Cub that they, too, could abandon any lingering nervousness in my presence.”
Now, the trio are enthusiastic participants in a range of enrichment activities with balls, frisbees and even their own musical keyboard, and a subtle signal from Robyn will have them stand on hind legs to have their tummies inspected and spin in a circle to make sure their legs are in good order.
“Pickle has even learned to high five, but in general their routine is designed either to keep them interested and stimulated or to make health checks easy and stress free,” she said.
After leaving Helensborough’s Hermitage Academy, Robyn spent three years studying art and design, but then opted for the catering trade instead, working as a restaurant and hotel chef for the next five years, including at Cameron House hotel in Balloch. It was during that period that she visited and fell in love with the Loch Lomond Aquarium, and she joined the entertainments team there two years ago.
A lifelong animal lover, her true goal was always to join the displays team to help care for the fish and other residents, and her chance finally came 10 months ago.
“I love every aspect of it, from preparing food for the sharks to giving sea turtle Cammy the regular back-scrubs she enjoys so much,” said Robyn.
“But that moment when Lily climbed on my lap was the moment I realised I wouldn’t rather be doing anything else.”
Robyn’s affection for otters, especially, made her the natural choice to represent the aquarium on a visit to Skye last summer with a team from the International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) to see and learn about our native otters.
“We were lucky enough to find a male otter which we tracked and observed for four hours,” she said.
“Now we talk about the IOSF and its work protecting otters around the world at all of our otter talks. Having learned what signs to look for, I now plan to investigate the woodland and countryside around the aquarium to see if we have wild otters locally.”
Meanwhile, visitors are thrilled to see the interaction between Robyn and her otter family, and even by their reaction when she simply walks by their enclosure.
“They generally scream at me,” she said.
“It’s just their way of saying hello and maybe inquiring as to when I’ll next be calling in.”
FACT BOX
WHAT: Loch Lomond Sea Life Aquarium
WHERE: Drumkinnon Tower, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch, by Loch Lomond.
CONTACT: 0871 423 2110 or www.visitsealife.com/loch-lomond