Tracking the Otter by Abi Hemmant

With the icy fingers of winter stretching into Cumbria, much of the native wildlife has either migrated to warmer climates, or has bedded down to hibernate through the chilly months to come. Yet not all is still and quiet: there is one elusive creature that can still be seen prowling the waterways, and winter can be one of the best times to see them.

The European otter suffered severe declines in numbers from the 1950s to 1970s due to habitat degradation, insufficient prey, and water pollution. However, populations have recovered, with numbers now at their highest recorded levels in 50 years. But where could you see them, and what should you be looking for.

Otters are notoriously shy, nocturnal creatures, and to find one either takes time and patience, or a great deal of luck, but the changing scenery of winter months can make this much easier. Otters are often found adjacent to still waters such as reservoirs and lakes, and also along rivers and streams. They make their holts under the roots of trees such as ash and sycamore, and tend to favour riverine stretches where there is sufficient cover to hide and rest. All of this vegetation can make looking for otters rather difficult, but there are a few tricks that can be used to make this search a real adventure.

Otters use spraints to mark their territories, and spotting these can be an easy way to discover if otters are present in an area. These droppings are greenish black in colour, and often leave oily stains once washed away by rain. They also have a distinctive smell of jasmine tea! Spraints are often deposited on prominent features, and good places to look include under bridges, on large rocks or tree stumps, or on gravel or sand banks. Such droppings usually contain small bones or fish scales. Scales can also be found in piles where the otter has just devoured its catch.

Another sign to look for are tracks and this is where the winter weather really helps. Tracks can be left on muddy river banks and often in snow as well, and appear as webbed, five-toed prints roughly three inches in width. The short days of winter also really help you to spot an otter as activity centres around dusk and dawn; much more viable times of the day to be out and about in winter.

Armed with these tracking skills, a secret life can unfold, showing feeding, playing and resting spots, and may even result in the prize sighting of one of these elusive and fascinating creatures.

Photo by Andy Graham