Well known locally as the natural flood plain of the River Great Ouse, the park used to be part of Bourton village and has been the home of generations of grazing cows. Bourton Park is maintained by Buckingham Town Council.
The Otter statues were first put up when the neighbouring housing development was built, then replaced in 2018 when the originals fell into disrepair. Otters were the most popular choice for new statues, as they can be seen in the river occasionally, snacking on crayfish.
With river water diverted through a system of ponds, wildlife habitats have been maintained and created. A river pollution incident in 2018 seriously affected fish stocks in the river, but with careful support from the Environment Agency numbers are returning; and despite local worries the otters appear to have been unaffected.
Buckingham river fish restocking image from Great Ouse and Fenland Fisheries.
Otter at night image with kind permission from a local resident.