Eurasian river otters have staged a remarkable recovery in the UK and Europe following hunting bans and water quality improvements, demonstrating ecosystem restoration success.
River otter recovery provides one of the most encouraging examples in UK conservation, demonstrating that welfare and conservation outcomes improve simultaneously when root causes of decline are addressed. Otters caught in illegal snares or entangled in fishing gear suffer acute welfare harm; while snaring is now illegal in many areas, bycatch mortality continues. Road kills increase as populations grow and otters travel further along riverbanks crossing road bridges. Otters in clean, fish-rich rivers with minimal human disturbance show excellent behavioral indicators of wellbeing. The species illustrates how environmental health and individual animal welfare are inseparable.