Otters disappeared dramatically throughout England between the 1950s and the 1970s, due to hunting and the poisoning of river waters by pesticide run off from farmland. Otter hunting was banned in 1978 and after organochlorine chemicals were withdrawn, there was a general increase in water quality leading to greater quantities of fish in rivers and lakes. The Environment Agency reports that the revival of otter populations indicates that English rivers are at their healthiest for 20 years.
Otters have reappeared all around the country in towns and cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol, where they have not been seen since the industrial revolution. Sightings have also been reported on the Thames and the Lea in North London and there has been a 44% increase in otter numbers on the River Ribble in Lancashire since 2008.
The Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK are responsible for a large amount of the work that has gone into improving habitats for otters but concede that there is no room for complacency with a great deal more work needed before otters are widespread once more.
As with all things, not everyone is pleased with this news. Anglers have complained that otters are decimating fish stocks in lakes and rivers and some have gone as far as calling for a cull. It is difficult to accept that a group of people can consider their sport more important than a native species’ food source.
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