Species

Species	European otter - Lutra lutra lutra, mammal
Habitat	RIVERS AND STREAMS; COASTAL AND FLOODPLAIN GRAZING MARSH
Background and status	Formerly widespread throughout the UK, the otter has suffered a rapid decline in numbers and range in the last forty years. Populations are now largely confined to Wales, South West England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The decline has now apparently halted and otters are again being sighted in former habitats.
Main Threats	Pollution of waterways, particularly by poly-chlorinated biphenyls, harms the otters and reduces numbers of their prey species. Other problems are associated with depletion of bankside habitat features - needed for breeding and rest - and injuries/deaths resulting mainly from roads or eel traps.
Conservation and targets	Maintain and expand the existing populations. Restore breeding otters to all sites where they have been recorded since 1960. National and local surveys have been carried out at frequent intervals, establishing the extent of the population and mapping out the potential for future spread of the species. Conservation management is being undertaken/administered by various organisations to help the otter, for example creation of artifiicial holts, bankside habitat management, pollution prevention.

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