Otters make a comeback in france - how you can help them thrive

Connexionfrance

Otters make a comeback in france - how you can help them thrive"


Play all audios:

Loading...

THE RECOLONISATION PROJECT IS SLOWLY WORKING BUT THE POPULATION REMAINS FRAGILE Otters (_loutres_) are gradually recolonising territories all over France, says otter specialist Cécile


Kauffmann, from national mammal protection charity, SFEPM. Until 1981, when they were finally protected, otters were hunted for their fur, by which time they had been eradicated from many of


their habitats. They used to be found all over France (except in Corsica) and around Paris, but by 1981 were only present in the Massif Central and some regions in western France. OTTERS


NEED TO HUNT 1-1.5KG OF FISH EVERY NIGHT Otters are semi-aquatic, Cécile adds, “They adapt to polluted water and will live close to towns if they are undisturbed, but are mainly found in


countryside areas. “They are very shy of humans. Nocturnal, they sleep in the day and mainly hunt at night. It’s rare to see them.” Otters have a reputation for being very playful but the


Eurasian Otter (_Lutra lutra_) found in France tends to be a solitary, sober animal. Each adult has their own territory which can stretch as far as 20-30kms. They move around their territory


frequently, as they need to hunt 1-1.5kg of fish every night. They do also sometimes eat frogs, eels, crustaceans, small mammals, birds and insects. ROAD TRAFFIC IS THEIR BIGGEST ENEMY


There is no fixed breeding season, and females tend to raise their pups (2-3 in a litter) alone. “Only a small number reach maturity. They live with their mother for around a year, and can’t


survive alone before they are 8-9 months old. “Many die on the roads or starve because their mother is run over. Road traffic is their biggest enemy.” This means that the otter population


in France is quite fragile. READ MORE: GREEN CROSSINGS OVER FRENCH ROADS SAVING WILDLIFE “They reach sexual maturity at around 2-3 years (males) and 3-4 years (females) but only live for


around 5 years in the wild although in captivity they live for up to 15-16 years. “So the process of re-colonising territory has been very slow. As well as needing a plentiful supply of


fish, they need thick undergrowth because they don’t dig hides, or erode riverbanks, but rather they construct holts for their young in thick undergrowth. “They are now present in two-thirds


of mainland France, in all regions except the Ile-de-France, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, and Grand Est,” says Cécile Kauffmann. SAFE HAVENS FOR OTTERS The government’s ‘PLAN NATIONAL D’ACTIONS EN


FAVEUR DE LA LOUTRE D’EUROPE’ runs until 2028 and sets out a list of ways to protect otters. “We work with associations all over France. We advise on constructing otter passageways under


bridges, so they don’t have to cross the bridge by the road. “We advise fish farmers how to repel otters without harming them, for example. “The ‘Havre de Paix pour Loutres’ (Otter Havens)


is a scheme to help owners of land beside running water provide habitats which encourage otters to settle there.” RELATED ARTICLES THE GENET - A RARELY SEEN CARNIVORE IS AT HOME IN FRENCH


WOODLAND VIDEO: NEW FILM RELEASED OF BEAR AND CUBS IN PYRENEES BEFORE WINTER LYNX SPOTTING ADVENTURE GIVES HOPE TO REINTRODUCTION SCHEME IN FRANCE


Trending News

Hse launches ‘falls from height’ inspection campaign - farmers weekly

© FLPA/REX/Shutterstock Health and safety inspectors will be visiting farms across the country over the next month to en...

Home remodeling and improvement costs

The main doorway and any interior doorways (such as between the sink and toilet areas) may need to be widened since, in ...

New footage shows cleveland cops shoving teen girl to the ground after shooting her 12-year-old brother

Newly released footage confirms the claim of Tamir Rice’s mother, Samaria Rice, who has perviously said that her daughte...

Cll flow cytometry test: what it's used for and how it works

A flow cytometry test is an important part of the diagnostic process for CLL. It can determine that you have CLL and not...

New york wedding guide - the album - barnyard bacchanal -- new york magazine - nymag

Charlotte Adams & Max Bertz _Grasmere Farm in Rhinebeck, N.Y._ October 1, 2011 Marketing manager Charlotte Adams and...

Latests News

Otters make a comeback in france - how you can help them thrive

THE RECOLONISATION PROJECT IS SLOWLY WORKING BUT THE POPULATION REMAINS FRAGILE Otters (_loutres_) are gradually recolon...

Life expectancy is going down because of ods and suicides

Life expectancy in the United States has dropped for the third year in a row, as suicide and overdose deaths continue to...

Broadband metasurface superstrate for polarization-independent wave focusing and gain enhancement at ka-band

ABSTRACT A broadband metasurface flat lens is proposed as a polarization-independent wideband superstrate for wave focus...

The future of the electrical trades

ABSTRACT THE Departmental Committee appointed by the Board of Trade to consider the position of the electrical trades af...

Nuggets Stay in the Hunt - Los Angeles Times

Denver’s reserves kept the Nuggets within reach of the final Western Conference playoff spot. Carmelo Anthony had 25 poi...

Top