An Orphaned Otter’s Journey to Becoming Part of the Mail Family

The lives of Billy and Susan Mail were permanently altered after a starving otter cub appeared at their residence. On 3 March 2021, Billy observed the severely underweight animal, which he subsequently named Molly, consuming crabs close to his home in Shetland. Billy states that caring for the cub and restoring its health helped him regain the happiness he had lost after the recent passing of his parents. This unique bond also prompted wildlife filmmaker Charlie Hamilton-James to document their improbable companionship in an award-winning film. The initial encounter occurred when Billy, 57, was at home and saw the cub diving from a nearby pontoon. “Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to see how close I could get to it,” he recounts. Billy sensed an anomaly when the typically wary creature settled beside him to consume its catch. “She stopped eating, looked me right in the eye, and then went back to it,” he states. “I thought ‘that’s not right, a wild otter should’ve run away at that point’.” Aware that a female otter had recently been discovered deceased in the vicinity, Billy concluded the cub was an orphan. He described her as “really thin and emaciated, but she wasn’t unhealthy – she was just hungry.” A local wildlife sanctuary informed Billy that providing food to the animal was permissible, provided he did not domesticate her. Following approval from his wife Susan, Molly the otter was integrated into the Mail family. The couple noted that Molly’s arrival coincided with a particularly opportune period in their lives. They had recently relocated back to Shetland, Billy’s birthplace, shortly after experiencing the loss of both his parents within a brief timeframe. Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic began just as they commenced construction on a new extension to their residence. Molly’s presence was described as “a breath of fresh air” for both individuals. Billy commented, “There was a lot of stuff happening at the time and Molly turned up right in the middle of that,” adding, “She was a lovely distraction.” Susan, 59, an airport manager, observed a shift in her husband’s disposition. She remarked, “Watching what he got back from helping an animal who needed it was incredibly emotive and touching.” However, Susan recounted an initial challenging period with Molly, during which the cub would roll in her plant pots and pursue her into the shed in Billy’s absence. She admitted to feeling some apprehension, having no prior experience interacting with a wild animal. “The more I watched and learned, the more I saw that she wasn’t aggressive at all,” Susan stated. Even as she adapted to co-existing with Molly, Susan frequently assumed the role of “bad cop” in their dynamic. On one occasion, she discovered a package containing numerous colored plastic balls addressed to Billy. She recalled, “I thought ‘no chance, he’s not bought these for her’ – and he had.” Moments later, Molly was observed playing in her personal mini ball pool. This setup was Billy’s effort to replicate playtime, an activity Molly would typically engage in for most of the day with other otters if raised in the wild. Susan subsequently learned that the ball pool was merely the initial step. Rather than progressing with their delayed home extension, Billy constructed a miniature croft house for the otter, furnishing it with a camera, wi-fi, and a collection of Mail family photographs. Public awareness of Billy’s new companion quickly grew. Filmmaker Charlie Hamilton-James, a frequent visitor to Shetland since his teenage years, learned of Molly and arranged a meeting with the couple. Billy stated, “I never knew who Charlie was,” adding, “But it turns out he was one of National Geographic’s top photographers.” Hamilton-James proposed transforming their unique narrative into a film. Billy recounted, “I said ‘no chance’, but then we thought ‘you know what, life is too short, let’s go for it’.” *Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story* debuted in March at the South by Southwest festival in Texas. Susan reported that viewing the final edit brought her to tears. “My family say I’m the woman with the heart of stone, but I found it very emotional,” she commented. Since its premiere, the film has received an award at Bristol’s Wildscreen Festival and garnered nominations in multiple categories at the esteemed American Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The couple affirmed their constant awareness that Molly, despite her endearing and sociable nature, remained a wild animal. After several months of daily interaction, Billy chose to cease feeding the cub, allowing her ample opportunity to acquire self-sufficiency skills before winter. Susan remarked, “He knew when it was the right time to let her go.” Molly’s visits gradually diminished until they ceased entirely. Unaware of her fate, Billy endured weeks of concern regarding her potential demise during the severe winter that affected Shetland in 2022. During a snowy night, the camera within Molly’s croft-house activated automatically, signaling to the couple the presence of a visitor. She had returned, and she was not solitary. Billy stated, “We were really happy to see she was still alive, still thriving and in a really good condition. The bonus was that she was pregnant.” Molly subsequently gave birth to her own cub in “her house,” and both continue to make regular appearances in the Mails’ garden. Susan expressed, “The one thing Molly taught me was compassion.” Furthermore, Molly revitalized Billy’s life by rekindling his appreciation for nature, an aspect he had long neglected. Billy articulated, “To take this otter that was cute and cuddly, but in desperate need of help, and to feed her and nurture her through adolescence and help her develop into a fully-grown adult, then off she went and hung out with her own family – observing that circle of life happening but also being a part of it was incredibly rewarding.” *