Wildlife

Wild Otter: Diet, Foraging Welfare and Prey Availability

River otter welfare depends on prey fish availability and water quality, with both improving in UK rivers since the 1980s.

Key Facts

UK river otter populations recovered from near-extinction to most English river systems by 2015
Otter diet includes fish, crayfish, amphibians, and waterbirds depending on availability
Otters require undisturbed holts (dens) for breeding, often under tree roots at water's edge
Illegal persecution and road deaths remain the primary human-caused otter mortality

Welfare Considerations

Otters in rivers with poor water quality and reduced fish populations experience nutritional stress. The recovery of UK otter populations reflects genuine improvement in prey availability and water quality. Maintaining and extending this recovery through continued water quality improvement and illegal persecution prevention preserves individual otter welfare.

What You Can Do

Support River Trust and Wildlife Trust water quality improvement campaigns
Report otter road casualties and suspected persecution to police and Natural England
Avoid disturbing potential holt sites along riverbanks during breeding season