Otter Surveys

An obvious large boulder used for sprainting

Otters, Lutra lutra, are mustelids, which are found along watercourses, inland waterbodies and coasts. In recent years their population has been shown to be increasing, they are legally protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Habitats Regulations 1994.

Otter surveys can be undertaken at any time of the year, but they need to be undertaken on watercourses that have not recently flooded.

A Otter survey by the Wildlife Survey Unit would:

An adult Otter's (Lutra lutra) footprints across a sandy beach
  • Collate available desk records from the Local Biological Records Centre
  • Identify the presence of Otters within a site
  • Identify the locations of all holts, resting-up sites, spraints and footprints
  • Define measures needed to be taken to ensure legal compliance

For more information on Otters and development please consult Natural England's SIN006 - Otter: European Protected Species. For more information in general about Otters please consult The Environment Agency's The Ecology of the European Otter.