The Eurasian otter has one of the widest ranges of any mammal. It declined sharply in the mid-twentieth century because of pesticides, pollution and hunting, and its recovery in much of Europe is a sign of cleaner rivers.
Interesting facts
- Otters can close their ears and nostrils underwater.
- They have dense fur with two layers to trap air and keep warm.
- Coastal otters in Scotland and Norway hunt in the sea but need fresh water to clean their fur.
- Otters are mostly nocturnal in much of Europe.
- They disappeared from much of Britain by the 1970s because of pesticides.
- Otters have returned to every county in England.
Behaviour
Otters are solitary and territorial. They hunt by sight and with sensitive whiskers, and can travel many kilometres along rivers in a night.
Breeding and young
Otters can breed at any time of year. Two or three cubs are born in a den called a holt and stay with their mother for about a year.
Threats and conservation
Water pollution, road deaths, habitat loss, drowning in fishing nets and declining fish stocks.
Where to see it
- Shetland and Isle of Mull, Scotland
- Rivers of southern Spain and Portugal
- Poland and Hungary’s wetlands
- Coasts of western Norway
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
Scotland Wildlife Guide: Red Deer, Otters, Eagles and Puffins
