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| FACTS |
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The survey investigated the distribution of the otter throughout
England during 2000-2002. Of the 3327 riverbank and wetland
sites surveyed, just under 35% (1137) showed evidence of otters,
rising from just 5.8% nearly twenty-five years ago.
The otter suffered serious decline in the 1960s following
the widespread use of toxic pesticides.
The otter's comeback, is based upon enhanced water quality,
local improvements in fish stocks and changes in riverbank
management.
The
otter is an important indicator of the health of our rivers
and wetlands.
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| Popular:
Michaela Strachan with an otter as featured on BBC TV's 'Really
Wild Show'. |
One
of the conservationists involved with the survey was Wiltshire Wildlife
Trust’s Otters and Rivers Project Officer, Mark Satinet: “Otters
have made a comeback right across Wiltshire. Almost one out of five
sites covered in the national survey for the county had signs of
otters, but in all three of the previous surveys Wiltshire had no
positive sites.
| The
National Otter Survey for England, the fourth survey of
its kind since the late 1970s, has found that the area
otters now live in has increased five-fold (527%) in the
last twenty-five years. |
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"The
fact that otters now live along many of Wiltshire’s rivers and canals
is fantastic in itself, but it is also welcome proof that our efforts
- restoring
riverbanks, building artificial otter holts, and working alongside
landowners and water companies to make the rivers cleaner and healthier
- really are succeeding.”
Mark
had visible proof of this last autumn when he came face to face
with an otter in the wild, on the River Ray in Swindon - the first
one in nearly a decade of work on Wiltshire’s rivers!
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| Otters
in their natural environment |
Otters
are now regular visitors on many of Wiltshire’s best-known rivers
and waterways: the Kennet and Avon Canal, the Bristol Avon, the
Salisbury Avon, Wylye, Nadder and the Upper Thames.
Otter
signs have been observed in towns such as Chippenham, Salisbury
and Swindon as well as in the countryside.
Tell
us what you think
Have you seen an otter in the wild? Do you think their increasing
numbers will have an effect on fishing in Wiltshire?
Lyn Gould
We were out walking the River Avon in Chippenham yesterday and sat in a pipe we saw what we think was a young otter, do you think it was possible? What else could it have been, we have looked at pictures on the net and it really looked like one. Please could you get back to us. Many thanks. Lyn and Trevor Gould.
Mr M Barber
When fishing on the river at BonA
some 15 years ago.To my suprise an Otter swam past about 6ft away.
This realy made my day!
(didn't catch a thing)
robin
Can anyone identify Philippa Forrester's "River" for me?
Chris
You can kill an otter in a second .....
Just kick its face off...
Paul Christie
I saw an otter last night (27 October 2004) at 11.15pm at pulteney wear in Bath.
Mr G Dawson
Thank goodness that our children have the chance to see real otters living in their natural habitat once more. Well done to all those who decided that our wildlife needs protection - otherwise future generations will only know these animals through pictures in books.
Mr P Mitchell
Its better to see an otter fishing for food than a man dragging a fish out of the river with hook through its lip just for sport.
Mrs B Parker
I think it is wonderful to here that there are more otters now in Wiltshire. I can't see it having any effect on fishing in Wiltshire at all, as fishermen usually fish in private lakes and canal stretches.
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