Otter surveys involve searching for otter field signs including footprints, spraints (droppings) and slides along the banks or rivers and in other wetland habitats.  As otters are active all year round, surveys can be conducted at any time of yearbut may be less successful when vegetation is in full growth as visibility of field signs may be limited.  Otter surveys are conducted by an experienced ecologist accompanied by an assistant.

Otters are members of the Mustelid family and are one of Britain’s largest carnivores.  Otters are mainly nocturnal and inhabit a wide range of aquatic habitats including small ditches, reedbeds, lakes, ponds, large rivers, estuaries and the coast.  The home range of individual otters can be large and they will sometimes cross expanses of land to reach other areas of wetland habitat.  They feed primarily on fish, but will also predate crayfish, amphibians, birds and mammals.  They shelter by day in legally protected refuge sites called holts, hovers and couches (both underground and above ground).

Otters are protected under both European and British law.  European Protected Species (EPS) are listed on Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations, 2017.  Those species listed on Schedule 2 are protected under Regulation 41, which refers to the protection of wild animals of a European Protected Species.

Under the Habitats Regulations, it is an offence if you:

• Deliberately capture, injure or kill any wild animal of an EPS
• Deliberately disturb wild animals of any such species
• Deliberately take or destroy the eggs of such an animal, or
• Damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place of such an animal

British protected species of animal are listed on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended).  Those species listed on Schedule 5 are protected under Part 1, Section 9, which refers to the protection of certain wild animals.  Under Section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended) if any person –

• intentionally kills, injures or takes any wild animal included in Schedule 5;
• has in his possession or control any live or dead wild animal included in Schedule 5 or any part of, or anything derived from such an animal;
• intentionally or recklessly damages or destroys, or obstructs access to, any structure or place which any wild animal included in Schedule 5 uses for shelter or protection;
• disturbs any such animal included in Schedule 5 while it is occupying a structure or place which it uses for that purpose;
• sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any live or dead wild animal included in Schedule 5, or any part of, or anything derived from, such an animal; or,
• publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things, he shall be guilty of an offence.

Otter surveys may be required where development proposals have potential to impact upon otter habitat. The impact may be direct, such as a loss or disturbance of an otter resting place caused by the installation of an outflow into a watercourse, or indirect such as artificial lighting or noise disturbance.   If surveys conclude that otters are likely to be impacted, then our experienced ecologists will work with the design team to develop suitable mitigation and compensation strategy and obtain the relevant licences to allow the works to proceed lawfully.

Please contact us to discuss your specific project or to request a quotation for conducting an otter survey and providing you with a report to support your planning application.

Useful information:

Natural England – Otters: Surveys and Mitigation for Development Projects

Natural Resources Wales – Otters