The restoration of riparian habitats and clean river systems has enabled otter recovery across Britain, though road mortality and water quality remain ongoing welfare concerns.
Otter recovery is one of Britain's great conservation successes, but the welfare challenges facing recovered populations remain significant. Road mortality kills otters in their prime - these are painful, violent deaths at bridges and culverts where otters cannot pass under road infrastructure safely. Pollution events that kill fish cause temporary starvation and force otters into marginal habitats. Territory conflict in recovering, increasingly dense populations leads to injuries. Conservation efforts that focus on otter crossing infrastructure, water quality regulation, and habitat connectivity address these welfare dimensions alongside population-level recovery goals.