mijbil the otter

1. MIJBIL
THE
OTTER
Gavin Maxwell

2. Gavin Maxwell(1914-1969)
■ Scottish naturalist and author.
■ Best known for his work with otters.
■ His work Ring of Bright Water(1960) about how he brought an otter back from Iraq and
raised it in Scotland.
■ The otter was of a previously unknown sub-species which was subsequently named after
Maxwell

3. Do you have a pet?

4. ■ An annual dog licence.
■ Annual vaccination
■ Regular grooming and bathing
■ Obedience training
■ Feed a balanced diet
■ Socialisation
■ Exercise, affection and play

5. Otters
■ Found in large
marshes
■ Near Basra, Iraq
■ Carnivorous
mammals

6. Iraq London
• Mostly marshes
• Large part of Iraq is desert
• The mountain areas near iran
and turkey have cold winters.
• The snow melts it causes
flood in central and southern
Iraq
• Large population and busy
city
• Multi storage building
• Temperate climate
• Snow is not very common in
london

7. 1956 – travelled to Iraq

8. DISCUSSED
WITH HIS
FRIEND

9. GOINGTO
BASRA

10. Friend
received mail

11. FIVE DAYS LATER MAXWELL’S
MAIL ARRIVED

12. Two Arabs
handed him
a sack

13. “here is your otter…”

14. OTTER
EMERGED
FROMTHE SACK

15. Chocolate-
brown mole

16. NAMED
“MIJBIL”

17. FOR FIRSTTWENTY
FOUR HOURS MIJBIL
WAS NEITHER
HOSTILE NOR
FRIENDLY

18. Took him to
bathroom

19. MIJ’S FAVOURITE
TOYS

20. PLAYS IN
THE
BATHTUB

21. Spend most of his time in playing

22. HE SPENT HOURS
SHUFFLINGA RUBBER BALL
AROUNDTHE ROOM LIKE A
FOUR-FOOTED SOCCER
PLAYER AND ALSOTHREW
THE BALL

23. Transporting Mij to
England and to
Camusfearna

24. MAXWELL
PUTS MIJ
INTOTHE
BOX

25. Car driver tore through the
streets of
Basra like a ricocheting bullet

26. Airhostess was the very queen of her
kind

27. Otter disappeared in the aircraft

28. Brought back to Maxwell, otter began to
nuzzle his face and neck

29. Maxwell and his otter reach London
where he has a flat.

30. Otter plays with a selection of toys
Rubber fruits balls Terrapin shell marbles

31. MIJ DEVELOPS CERTAIN COMPULSIVE HABITS

32. Londener could not recognize an
otter

33. Random guccesses
Baby bear hippo
Baby seal squirrel
mongoose brontosaur
dragon beaver

34. Digging labourer
“Here, Mister– what
is that supposed to
be”

36. Thank you