Wildlife

Wild Otter Diet and Foraging Welfare

Eurasian otters are specialist fish predators whose welfare is closely linked to waterway quality and prey availability.

Key Facts

Otters require 1 to 1.5 kg of fish daily to meet their energy needs
River quality directly determines prey availability and otter health
Otters are sensitive indicators of ecosystem health and water quality
Road mortality remains a major cause of otter deaths despite population recovery
Sprainting behavior is essential for territory marking and social communication

Welfare Considerations

Otters dependent on depleted or polluted waterways may suffer from nutritional stress and exposure to pollutants that bioaccumulate through the food chain.

What You Can Do

Support river restoration and water quality improvement projects
Advocate for otter-friendly road crossing structures under bridges
Donate to wildlife trusts working on waterway habitat enhancement