The faint splash of an otter gently entering a river could have been a sound lost to England forever, but the iconic mammal has fought its way back from the brink of extinction, a new report from the Environment Agency can reveal.
Otters, which almost disappeared from England in the 1970s due to the toxic effects of pesticides, are now found in every region of England, and in every county except Kent.
In south west England and along the River Wye, otter populations have reached their maximum capacity. There are also healthy populations in Northumbria, Cumbria, Wessex and the Upper Severn.
The Environment Agency has predicted that the species will now fully recover across England in less than 20 years.
The otter population has recovered thanks to a ban on harmful pesticides put in place in the 1970s and legal protection given to otters, making it an offence to intentionally kill or harm the animal. They have also been helped by a significant improvement in water quality over the past 20 years, bringing fish back to rivers that were once grossly polluted.
Paul Raven, Head of Conservation and Ecology at the Environment Agency said: “The otter is at the top of the food chain, and as such is an important indicator of the health English rivers.
“The recovery of otters from near-extinction shows how far we’ve come in controlling pollution and improving water quality. Rivers in England are the healthiest for over 20 years, and otters, salmon and other wildlife are returning to many rivers for the first time since the industrial revolution.
“But there is still work to be done, and we will continue to work with farmers, businesses and water companies to reduce pollution and improve water quality even further, to ensure the full recovery of the otter across the country.”
Defra Minister Richard Benyon said: “Thanks to dramatic improvements in water quality we have seen the return of the otter to every region in England, bringing it back from the brink of extinction.
“Although our rivers are the healthiest they have been for some time, there is always more that can be done to improve water quality and help wildlife return to our rivers. We will continue to work together to deal with pollution problems where they exist in a way that is effective.”
The fifth otter survey of England examined 3,327 river sites across the country between July 2009 and March 2010. The survey showed that:
- The number of sites with evidence of otter life has increased tenfold in 30 years, with positive site records increasing from 5.8 per cent in 1977-79 to 58.8 per cent in 2009-10.
- Since the last survey in 2002, positive site records have increased from 36 to 58 per cent.
- The pattern of recovery differs at a regional scale, with East Anglia and the River Thames and its tributaries showing the biggest increase in positive signs since 2000-02.
- Recovery has been slowest in the south east, with Kent being the only county in England where no otters have yet returned. Otter recovery is spreading towards the south east from traditional strongholds in the north and south west, and it is predicted that the population will spread to Kent within the next ten years.
- In the south west and the River Wye catchment otter populations have probably reached maximum capacity, with those in Northumbria, Cumbria, Wessex and the upper Severn close to that.
- The otter’s recovery has already exceeded the 2015 targets set in the revised Biodiversity Action Plan.
A copy of the summary report is available on the Environment Agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/otters
