Otter cubs are born entirely dependent on their mother and remain with her for over a year, making maternal welfare and territory quality critical determinants of cub survival and welfare.
Otter cub welfare is entirely mediated through maternal welfare during the first year of life. A mother whose territory is disturbed, whose prey resources are depleted, or who is injured cannot provide adequate care for dependent cubs. River pollution events during the maternal care period can eliminate prey availability within days, forcing mothers to either travel far from cubs to find food or reduce food intake to levels incompatible with sustained lactation. Protecting known otter holts from disturbance - particularly during the breeding and cub-rearing period (peaking in spring) - is a direct welfare intervention that helps ensure maternal care is not interrupted during the most vulnerable cub phase.