Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Yorkshire Otters & Rivers Project
Why Conserve Otters ?
Once found throughout Britain, most of our otter populations crashed in the 1960's due to poisoning from agricultural pesticides which drained into our river systems.This threat has passed, and otter numbers are slowly beginning to recover, but they are still subject to a number of serious pressures:
Habitat loss through intensive river management for drainage and flood defence, and due to agriculture and urban development
Inadequate food supplies, mainly fish.
Disturbances of breeding sites by people and especially dogs.
Legal Protection
The otter is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to kill, injure or knowingly disturb an otter, or to damage an otter's resting place.
Yorkshire Otters & Rivers Project
The Yorkshire Otters & Rivers Project is managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. It's work is focussed on the rivers Wharfe, Nidd, Swale and Ure in North Yorkshire, the River Hull in East Yorkshire, the Rivers Don, Rother, Aire and Calder in South and West Yorkshire.What the Otters & Rivers Project is doing
Advising farmers and land managers on ideas for habitat creation and enhancement to benefit otters and other wildlife.Liaising with many organisations, including local authorities and government agencies, to encourage them to consider otters and other river wildlife in their work.
Surveying and monitoring to determine the present distribution of otters in Yorkshire, to detect changes in their status, and to assess habitat quality.
Producing catchment Otter Habitat Plans, identifying important areas to be conserved and opportunities for habitat enhancement.
Campaigning for cleaner rivers and the wise use of water.
Some Otter Facts
Otters are nocturnal creatures and are active all year round.Otters are big, with a male reaching 1.2m from nose to tail, and weighing about 10Kg.
Otters eat mostly fish, especially eels, and rely on good fish populations. They also eat amphibians, and the occasional bird and small mammal.
An otter may use over 40km of river and its becks, and needs many resting places throughout this range.
A female otter will give birth to 1 to 3 cubs in a 'natal holt' (or den), which is often away from the main river, and must be completely undisturbed.
Otters in Yorkshire
Otters exist in small numbers on the rivers of North and East Yorkshire, with evidence of a recent increase in otter activity in some places. Otters are occasionally seen in South and West Yorkshire, though these are probably transient young male animals rather than residents.A release program was carried out on the River Derwent in the early 1990's.
How you can help
EveryoneKeep to marked footpaths when walking near rivers, and keep your dog on a lead.
Report otter sightings, otter signs or dead otters, as promptly as possible to the Otters & Rivers Project.
Use water wisely and use 'green' cleaning products and avoid pouring household chemicals down the drain.
Join the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
Join the Project's 'Yorkshire Otter Action Team' and adopt a stretch of river to monitor for tracks and signs.
Farmers and Land Managers
Leave generous river-side field margins uncultivated or fenced from stock - all water courses are important, however small.Take care to prevent river pollution, especially sheep dips and slurry.
Contact the Project Officer for advice on habitat improvement ideas to benefit otters and other wildlife, and on available grants.
The National Picture
The Yorkshire Otters & River Project of the Yorkshir Wildlife Trust is part of the national "Water UK and The Wildlife Trusts' Otters & Rivers Project". We are working with the Environment Agency, water companies, landowners, local authorities and others, to implement the national Otter Biodiversity Action Plan, and see the return of breeding otters to all rivers by 2010.
Funding
The Yorkshire Otters & Rivers Project is supported by Yorkshire Water, with additional support from private donations.
For further information or advice, contact the Project Officers:
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Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Sylvia Jay & Alice Fox Tel: (0113) 278 1724 Fax: (0113) 278 1940 email: yorksotters@cix.co.uk
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