Shetland offers a stunning backdrop to seek out the abundance of flora, fauna and geology, all part of these fascinating islands. Yell is home to a variety of birds, many of which fly close to the view room, giving a unique perspective. Birdlife is further appreciated on walks near the house and particularly on the 'Longa Tonga' Peninsula. From the peninsula the views are superb and on a clear day the Out Skerries can be seen. You can enjoy a picnic on your own little beach and who knows what you will see! Seals are a reasonably common sight and you may well spot an Otter or two on your walks. As noted on the website where to watch birds and other wildlife in the world "Yell has the highest density of Otters in Shetland". According to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee "The otter Lutra lutra population in Shetland is one of the most intensively-studied in Europe. Not only are the Shetland animals morphologically distinct from their mainland counterparts, they are also believed to be genetically distinct. In addition, specialists consider that the populations are possibly the densest in Europe. Therefore, the Shetland population is in many ways unique, and is considered of special importance in a UK context.  Within Shetland, the Yell Sound area has the highest density of otter. Indeed the site is believed to support more than 2% of the entire GB otter population. The site consists of a complex of islands and coastline, selected to include the areas of highest otter density. The areas are characterised by low-lying peaty coastlines with large numbers of otter holts and easy access to fresh water. The adjacent marine areas have extensive algal beds which are used for foraging". 

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https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/find-a-reserve/reserves-a-z/reserves-by-name/y/yell/

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