HUNDREDS of people descended on Princetown last Saturday to witness the unveiling of the new ‘Royal’ otter.

The otter, created by the Duchy of Cornwall, was revealed to the public for the first time during Dartmoor National Park’s summer fair at the visitor centre in Princetown.

The Moor Otters project received the unique sculpture from renowned sculptor Marcus Cornish, to a design approved by HRH The Prince of Wales.

The Duchy of Cornwall is the largest landowner on Dartmoor, owning about one third of the national park. The Duchy works in partnership with the national park authority on a number of projects supporting farming and the environment.

Tom Stratton, deputy land steward from the Duchy, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to support the Moor Otters initiative to help raise funding for valuable conservation work on Dartmoor. Being able to do this with a sculpture of a species that has benefited from the good work taking place on Dartmoor is particularly pleasing and we are grateful for the assistance of Marcus Cornish.’

Award winning sculptor Mr Cornish, who won the prestigious commission to sculpt the important Victoria Cross and George Cross memorial at Whitehall and whose Paddington Bear sculpture was a favourite with travellers at Paddington Station, said of his own work: ‘I have always strived to create works focused on vitality, emotional force and a celebration of the beauty of life.’

The Duchy of Cornwall otter is number 101 in the Moor Otters project — a series of 100 unique pieces of art that are displayed in accessible public areas around Dartmoor and the ‘gateway towns’ until September 2017. Each three-foot tall resin otter sculpture has been designed and decorated by a different artist and will portray the artist’s own interpretations of wildlife and conservation issues.

Otters were the chosen animal as Dartmoor currently provides an important stronghold for the globally threatened and protected species.

The Moor Otters trail will end with an auction on September 30 to raise funds for access and conservation projects and the Junior Rangers. The unique otter will be auctioned at Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood along with 30 of the ‘golden otters’ from the trail.

Rachel Littlewood from Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood said: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for a collector to get a unique Royal commission from an internationally renowned sculptor; we are expecting a huge amount of interest for this piece.’

Bill Hitchins, chair of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: ‘We are extremely grateful for the support of His Royal Highness and the Duchy of Cornwall for the Moor Otters project; this donation of a one-off otter will provide a huge boost to the trail and hopefully create a real buzz at the auction.’

The summer fair on Saturday was also part of National Parks Week, an annual celebration of some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes, which see over 90-million visitors every year.

To celebrate the week, national parks minister Lord Gardiner visited Dartmoor. Of his visit, he wrote: ‘With their vast moorlands, rugged valleys and ancient woodlands, together Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks are iconic symbols of the south west, attracting nearly five million visitors a year.

‘They are embedded in our culture, national identity and heritage — they are such an essential part of the fabric of rural Britain.

‘The parks also have a key role to play in the rural economy too, generating £4-billion every year and providing jobs and opportunities for communities around the country.

‘Visiting Dartmoor and Exmoor, I have been particularly struck by the hard work and dedication of farming communities. It is after all their custodianship that has secured the great variety of landscapes we now enjoy.

‘And as we look to the future we must all acknowledge the work rural communities – particularly the deeply committed volunteers — do to provide everyone with an even better environment.’