Eurasian otters have made a remarkable recovery in UK rivers after near-extinction from organochlorine pesticides and hunting. Understanding the welfare considerations in otter conservation and monitoring supports continued recovery.
Otter welfare in recovery encompasses both natural hazards (road mortality, starvation from depleted prey) and monitoring-related considerations. Otter trapping for health checks and tagging must follow strict protocols using safe capture techniques and minimizing handling time. Road mortality welfare involves traumatic death and represents a population management priority: otter passes under road bridges and wildlife-sensitive culvert design have demonstrably reduced road kills in target areas. The welfare of otters in areas with depleted eel populations is affected by increased foraging effort and potential nutritional stress - eel recovery is therefore an otter welfare issue.