British Otters Back From The Brink Of Extinction

Unless swift action is taken when a species is listed as endangered, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes extinct.

In a rare case of positive news, the Environment Agency now believes that England’s endangered European otter population (Lutra lutra) will have made a full recovery within the next twenty years.

A study showed that took place between July 2009 and March 2010 found otters were present at 58 percent of the sites surveyed. This is a significant increase from the 36 percent presence of otters at sites surveyed during a 2002 study.

Britain’s otter population began to dwindle in the 1950s and this decline continued at least until the 1970s. Evidence suggests that the main cause of this decline was the increased agricultural use of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are notorious for their tendency to biomagnify and bioaccumulate in the food chain, and are especially harmful to those animals that eat fish.

According the Environment Agency the otter’s comeback is largely thanks to restrictions on the use of these harmful chemicals on Britain’s farms. Otters were also helped by the introduction of legislation making it an offence to deliberately kill or harm an otter (this includes trapping and removal).

The recovery has exceeded the targets set for 2015 in the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan.

Paul Raven, Head of Conservation and Ecology at the Environment Agency explained the significance of these recent findings. “The otter is at the top of the food chain, and as such is an important indicator of the health of English rivers. The recovery of otters from near-extinction shows how far we’ve come in controlling pollution and improving water quality.”

Otter populations in other parts of the world are also recovering. Populations of sea otters in California appear to have increased over a 10-year period and the population of giant otters in Peru is increasing helped by the ban on the trade in its fur.

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Image Credit: Flickr - Peter Trimming

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Janine H.

3:35AM PDT on Jul 23, 2011

Thank you very much for the good news :)

send a green star

Aoife O.

12:39PM PDT on Jun 19, 2011

Good news, thanks

Judith C.

9:21AM PDT on Jun 19, 2011

Humans have taken action to prevent the extinction of otters by changing laws and monitoring them,other animals can be saved with a bit of effort.

9:16AM PST on Dec 1, 2010

great news!

NoNoNoNoNOMAIL T.

8:58AM PST on Nov 28, 2010

We must remain vigilent in our watch over these magnificent animals or some politician will come in with deeply lined pockets to over ride Otter Protections.

Savannah F.

4:04PM PST on Nov 22, 2010

great news :)

Gerald M.

9:11AM PST on Nov 22, 2010

Good to read such news.

Olivia S.

4:54PM PST on Nov 21, 2010

Long live the otters....and all other animals!

Kristi D.

10:21AM PST on Nov 20, 2010

I agree Susan, finally some good news!