Otter territorial behaviour through sprainting is important to understanding population health, and territory disruption from human activity affects individual welfare.
Otter territorial behaviour means that population recovery creates welfare challenges as expanding individuals encounter established territory holders. Fights over territories result in bite wounds that can become seriously infected. Pollution incidents that destroy prey bases force territorial otters to move, creating displacement stress and conflict. Understanding territorial dynamics helps explain why clean rivers with good fish populations support higher densities of healthy, less-stressed otters.