An incredibly rare albino otter has been spotted in West Lothian.
Livingston man Russell Parker managed to grab a picture of the unusual creature in the water at Almondell and Calderwood Country Park, near East Calder.
He had earlier been alerted to the possibility of there being an albino otter there by fellow wildlife enthusiasts.
However he admitted that his "heart skipped a beat" when he saw it swimming around in its white coat, with pink eyes, nose and pads.
Russell told West Lothian Council: "As I stood concealed behind one of the large trees which populate the side of the river, I caught a movement out the side of my eye. My heart skipped a bear as I realised it was not only an otter, it was white.
"The creature dived and I moved to a spot closer to where I had seen it. Concealed by another tree, I waited with bated breath, working hard to contain my excitement. A white otter, which seemed totally unaware of my presence, was hunting among the overhanging and part submerged trees in front of me."
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Russell was keen to photograph the extremely rare creature.
He added: "Capturing an image at this point was difficult due to the poor light of early morning, and the overhanging trees. However, after a few minutes, the otter emerged from cover and climbed out on to the branch of a submerged tree and in that moment I had my photos.
"I could now see clearly that it was indeed an albino otter, presenting an impressive sight in its white coat with pink eyes, nose and pads. I watched as the white otter swam diagonally across to my side of the river near the weir before disappearing out of sight."
West Lothian Council say that they have taken steps to ensure the safety of the otter, and park staff and volunteers will be keeping a watchful eye.
They posted on social media: "It's very difficult to keep a rare find like this a secret, so we believe that raising the profile of the otter will attract visitors and act as a deterrent to potential poachers. Otters are a protected species and to kill, injure or harass one is an offence."
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