Wiltshire | Archive | 2002 | October | 19
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 19th Oct 2002.
MARTIN VINCENT reports on how the population of otters in Wiltshire and across England and Wales, is starting to thrive again after years of struggling for survival.
SWINDON is one of the unlikely places where the once endangered otter is making a successful come back.
And the town's sewage disposal works at Barnfield is believed to be among the animal's favourite new haunts.
The number of otters in this country dropped dramatically in the mid 70s, mainly due to poisoning and pollution from organochlorine pesticides. Things got so bad that at one time many people thought the species could not survive.
But the harmful pesticides have now been banned and otters are recolonising many of the areas where they once thrived.
One of the people working hard to get the otter to return to Wiltshire is Mark Satinet, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Otters and Rivers Project Officer.
He says they are gradually coming back, making their way from Wales, Devon and the Severn area where numbers have already returned to pre-crisis levels.
"Wiltshire is now at the front line of where otters are returning and it is very encouraging," said Mark.
"Today in the Swindon area and Upper Thames region, which includes the Cotswold Water Park, there are now probably a couple of dozen otters.
"It is good news, but there is still some way to go. In the mid-1950s there could have been up to 100 in the same area."
The otters have returned to Swindon along the green corridors formed by the Rivers Ray and Cole which run into the town.
"These rivers are not very big, but it is vital that the corridors they form are kept often for the benefit of all wildlife," said Mark.
Mark, 37, of Rodbourne in Swindon, has been working for the otters with WWT for more than eight years.
He knows everything about them what their favourite habitats are, what they eat, how long they live and what their breeding habits are.
But ironically he has never seen a live wild otter in Wiltshire.
"I have seen them in other parts of the country, including in a Gloucestershire river, but not in this county," he said.
"Most of my work is done during the day and otters are secretive animals who try to avoid being seen. They usually only come out between dusk and dawn and spend the rest of the time in their holts."
Four years ago the Otter Trust released 17 otters into the water park over a period of six months.
Unfortunately, nine were put into the same small river near a commercially stocked fishing lake and started eating the fish.
Since then six have been killed on roads and the others have now dispersed to claim their own territories to breed.
Mark said most fishermen and landowners have welcomed the return of the otter, and commercial fish breeders were being given advice on how to protect their fish.
He said: "The otters are gradually expanding their range and I believe this process will continue. The biggest danger they face is being hit by cars while crossing roads.
"This mostly happens during the winter months when rivers are flooded and the animals go onto the road rather than pass under submerged bridge arches."
In the past couple of years, two otters have been killed on roads in Swindon one near the sewage works and the other close to Coate Water.
Now WWT is appealing to drivers to cut their speed and watch out for otters.
They also want more volunteers to join their Otter Task Force to monitor and record local rivers for signs of returning otters.
Anyone interested in supporting Mark's work or other aspects of WWT can contact him by ringing 01380 725670 or by logging onto its website www.wiltshirewildlife.org.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008