
Tarka Revisited
100 Years of Rivers and Wildlife
Ian Parsons(Author)
Pelagic Publishing
Will be published approx. on 23. June 2026
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-1-78427-629-4 (ISBN)
Description
Otter? Otter? OTTER! That elusive shadow, that fleeting glimpse, that sleek and slender form disappearing beneath the surface of the water. It is one hundred years since Henry Williamson wrote Tarka the Otter, the book that first brought these captivating animals into the public consciousness. A lot has changed for us over the last century, but is much different in the secretive life of the Otter?
Otters and the rivers in which they live have certainly been on a long journey, a perilous one at times. This book follows that course, a hundred years of riverine ebbs and flows. In richly poetic prose it reflects on what has happened to the Otter, as well as considering the outlook for this species today. Otters are now common across most of Britain, but is their future secure? Are there hard-won lessons from the last ten decades that we still have not heeded?
From near extinction at the hands of hunters and pollution, to modern-day urban living, Otters have always been intricately entwined with their ecosystem and habitat. The author speaks to those involved in Otter conservation who do so much to help these remarkable and surprisingly adaptable mammals survive the challenges of our world. This book is the perfect companion for anyone with an interest in wildlife and the environment. For the Otter enthusiast, it is essential reading.
Otters and the rivers in which they live have certainly been on a long journey, a perilous one at times. This book follows that course, a hundred years of riverine ebbs and flows. In richly poetic prose it reflects on what has happened to the Otter, as well as considering the outlook for this species today. Otters are now common across most of Britain, but is their future secure? Are there hard-won lessons from the last ten decades that we still have not heeded?
From near extinction at the hands of hunters and pollution, to modern-day urban living, Otters have always been intricately entwined with their ecosystem and habitat. The author speaks to those involved in Otter conservation who do so much to help these remarkable and surprisingly adaptable mammals survive the challenges of our world. This book is the perfect companion for anyone with an interest in wildlife and the environment. For the Otter enthusiast, it is essential reading.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Exeter
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Laminated cover
Dimensions
Height: 220 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
399 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78427-629-4 (9781784276294)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Ian Parsons spent 20 years as a forest ranger working with people, goshawks, dormice, trees and everything in between. He now spends his time between Extremadura in Spain and Devon in England. He writes books and magazine articles on the subject that is closest to his heart: wildlife.
Content
Prologue
Introduction
1. Bubbling Beginnings
2. Us and Them
3. Poisoned Arteries
4. The Return
5. Lost, Found and Returned
6. A Disturbing Enemy?
7. Why Did the Otter Cross the Road?
8. Fishing for Answers?
9. Bending the Line
10. Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release
11. Lessons Learnt or Forever Failing?
12. The Future
Appendix 1: Species Mentioned in the Text
Appendix 2: The UK Wild Otter Trust
Acknowledgements
Notes
Index
Introduction
1. Bubbling Beginnings
2. Us and Them
3. Poisoned Arteries
4. The Return
5. Lost, Found and Returned
6. A Disturbing Enemy?
7. Why Did the Otter Cross the Road?
8. Fishing for Answers?
9. Bending the Line
10. Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release
11. Lessons Learnt or Forever Failing?
12. The Future
Appendix 1: Species Mentioned in the Text
Appendix 2: The UK Wild Otter Trust
Acknowledgements
Notes
Index