The Eurasian otter has made a remarkable recovery in the UK following pesticide restrictions. However, road casualties and water pollution continue to cause significant welfare harms.
Road-killed otters are frequently found at river crossings where culverts force them onto roads. Many road-killed otters are pregnant females or cubs accompanying their mother, amplifying the welfare harm. Otters that survive road strikes often have internal injuries that cause prolonged suffering before death. Water pollution events — from agricultural runoff, sewage, or chemical spills — kill otters through direct toxicity or by killing their fish prey. Otters trapped in fish farms may be killed by pest control measures. Their high intelligence and apparent emotional capacity makes individual welfare harms particularly significant.