An otter has been filmed running riot through the kitchen of a shocked family – scuttling across worktops and knocking items off shelves.
Donna Mouat saw the creature outside her home in South Nesting, Shetland, while cooking dinner.
She and her family used the opportunity to go and have a closer look at the mammal – but the otter saw an opportunity of its own and dashed into their home.
While in the kitchen the uninvited otter caused chaos as it climbed over the dining table and leapt on to kitchen worktops.
As it carelessly climbed over bowls and kitchen appliances, an open cupboard door proved irresistible.
Once inside it knocked items off shelves, and then miraculously ended up on top of the wall-mounted cupboard before realising it had outstayed its welcome and left.
Mrs Mouat said: ‘It emptied a cupboard but, other than that, there was nothing smashed or broken. Remarkable, really.’
The inquisitive otter had been outside the house and Mrs Mouat, husband Ryan, and children Geordie, four, and Vaila, six, went out to have a closer look.
Mrs Mouat told BBC Scotland: ‘When we realised an otter was outside they all rushed out to see, it was snacking on my husband’s latest catch.’
Moments later otter saw its chance, and with the outside door left open rushed into the kitchen to cause mayhem.
Mrs Mouat told the broadcaster: ‘I was halfway through breading fish for tea, it ran through three bowls which I had to throw away.
‘We have a freshwater stream running through the garden which goes from loch to sea so we often see them around, just not in the kitchen.’
There are between 800 and 1,000 otters living in Shetland, which is the highest density of otters in Europe.
Usually secretive creatures, the Mouats close encounter with the animal is unusual as they tend to shy away from humans.
Though historically nocturnal hunters, in Shetland they are often found foraging in daylight hours with their routines influenced by the tides.
In Shetland they tend to be smaller than other Eurasian otters, but have individually recognisable pale markings on their threat or chin which can make their appearance differ.
It tends to be less commonly seen in otters elsewhere, but each one in Shetland shows it.
It means researchers can identify and recognise individuals, offering them the chance to learn more about their lives.
