Mole Hall

This park is similar in atmosphere to the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Park, being set up for the welfare of the animals rather than for the visitors. I visited on the last day of October, during the winter season, when the entrance fee is reduced and paid into an honesty box. We went into the Butterfly House, and saw the Formosan Sika Deer and Guanacos, but the main reason for going was, of course, the otters. Mole Hall has two species - the Asian Small-Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus) and the North American (Canadian) River Otter (Lontra canadensis), and has a good record for breeding both for many years.

At present, due to recent deaths from old age, they have two shy young male Small-Claws, and are looking for some unattached girlfriends for them! Their enclosure is quite big, and has a shallow pond, lots of grass, rocks (with a pipe tunnel through them), and wooden otter houses. The otters scampered about, using all parts of their pen on our second visit (they had declined to rise on the first occasion). They then went back to their house for their afternoon snooze. This is good as it means the animals can retire to snug quarters at will, rather than being shut out during the day so the public can see the animal at all times even if it is not in the animal's best interests.

The Canadian Otters are in superb condition - the best I have ever seen. Mole Hall has a wonderful breeding record with this species - and as a result, the otter pens are subdivided and joined together again according to current population.

One small enclosure with has grass, shrubs and a wooden hatch, and there is a hatch leading to a much bigger enclosure where there is lots of grass and a raised swimming tank with a glass window side so the public can watch otters at play. In another pen there are wooden houses and a large concrete cave, with access via a little bridge to a very large swimming pool with waterfalls. I think this in turn connects to another small, non-public enclosure with another otter house in and more shrubs, so they have a wide choice of environment.

North American River Otters from Mole Hall have gone to the Oban Sea Life Centre.

The site is very flat, and quite muddy underfoot. The parking is on grass. In the summer, the entrance fee is paid at the car park gate, and there is a café and gift shop, and on some days special events such as deer safaris.

Mole Hall is in north Essex, just south of Saffron Walden. It is signposted from the Mll, from which take Junction 8 toward Stansted, then the B1383 toward Saffron Walden, and follow the signs off this road toward Widdington and the wildlife park.

I last visited Mole Hall on 28th May 2004.