Otter sculpture to be unveiled at Lower Silvermine Wetland

A sculpture of a Cape clawless otter, made from invasive alien plant material, will be unveiled at the Lower Silvermine Wetland on Friday May 9, at 3pm.

The Echo reported last month that the otter, made by local artist and sculptor Chip Snaddon, aims to highlight the ecological importance of the wetland and ongoing conservation efforts ("Larger-than-life Otter sculpture to grace Lower Silvermine Wetland", Echo, April, 2025).

Martin Scholtz, a Friends of Silvermine Nature Area (Fosna) committee member, said Fosna wanted to create a fun learning experience while also emphasising the environmental value of the wetland, especially after recent construction to move the power cables running through the collapsed bridge had caused “quite a bit of disruption” (“Valley power supply in peril”, Echo, August, 2024).

Fosna commissioned the sculpture, and Mr Scholtz said the otter was chosen for its symbolic value.

“The otter, often seen as a symbol of joy, playfulness, and adaptability in various cultures, was chosen to reflect the resilience of nature,” he said.

“It has been wonderful to watch Chip (Snaddon) work and to see the sculpture grow. He has taken such care to create the otter,” said Mr Scholtz, adding that it is “a very solid structure” and also represents the fragility of nature as it will need to be maintained, emphasising the role of the community and custodians of the wetland.

Mr Snaddon said it had taken him more than a month to complete the sculpture.

“It’s been challenging working at this scale and using reference photos and videos, but I am very pleased with the results,” he said.

He said it had been “a pleasure”  interacting with people passing by who had shown great interest in the sculpture.

Mr Scholtz said: “The addition of the sculpture will make it a space that everyone can identify with.”