Meet the Animals

Otter

Where & when to see them

Once widespread, otters are now restricted mainly to Scotland, Wales, East Anglia and the West Country.
A secretive and protected species. Look along river banks, lake edges and sea coasts.

More about this species

Will otters take up residence in the specially built holts at Pensthorpe? Springwatch's state-of-the-art cameras will be ready for them if they do.

After the sun goes down, do the otters come out? Watch the webcams and find out.

Missed something? Keep up to date with the otters here.

Species information

Otters are a semi-aquatic mammal with brown fur and a creamy buff coloured belly. Often described as inquisitive, playful and intelligent, they live along river banks, lake edges and sea coasts in holes called holts.

Otters love to eat fish, but they will also take small birds, rodents and in spring even frogs. Their eyes are high on the head so that the rest of the body can remain underwater. With their webbed feet and streamline shape otters are naturally fast and agile swimmers. Underwater they appear silvery in colour, due to bubbles of air trapped in the fur.

Happily populations of otters are now growing again thanks to our cleaner rivers. A tell-tale sign that otters are about is finding their droppings (called spraints) which can be near water. will usually contain fish bones and can be very oily and smelly.