Otter territorial behaviour through sprainting provides a window into the social welfare of a species that maintains solitary territories through chemical communication rather than direct contact.
Otter territorial behaviour through sprainting is a welfare-relevant system that reduces the energy and injury costs of direct territorial competition. The elaborate scent communication network that individual otters maintain along river banks allows territory boundaries to be negotiated largely without physical confrontation. River quality underpins the welfare of this system - clean, fish-rich rivers support stable territorial networks where individuals can reliably meet their needs within their territory. Degraded rivers reduce food security, destabilise territories, and increase the welfare costs of competition for declining resources.