Wildlife charity calls for change following otter deaths on busy road

Stephen Price

In the space of a few short days, an entire family of otters has been killed on a busy stretch of road, leading wildlife campaigners to call for motorists and local authorities to do more for Wales’ native wildlife.

The latest case is “just the tip of the iceberg” according to wildlife charity Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru (INCC), who are raising the alarm as otters and other wildlife continue to be killed on our roads every day.

Over the past 12 months, INCC and a nature friendly farm in the Vale of Glamorgan have been doing its bit for wildlife at the farm by creating a haven for different habitats, plants and animals, particularly for otters.

This has involved installing wide margins along its rivers and streams so that long grass, scrub and eventually woodland habitat can develop. These habitats offer otters the cover and shelter they need to live their secluded lives.

Otters live in structures called holts, which are often holes and cavities in the riverbank created by leaning trees. Finding the right conditions for natural holts can be very difficult.

Conservationists can help this process by providing artificial holts, often made from wooden logs or recycled plastic. One such artificial Otter holt was built at the farm, positioned on the bank above floodwater and adjacent to a deep pool in the river – the ideal location.

Tragedy

A wildlife camera watched the comings and goings of an Otter on the river for several months.

In January this year, the camera provided evidence that the artificial Otter holt was being investigated by a female Otter, and weeks later the female along with her male partner were seen together on the river.

The hope was that the female Otter was pregnant with cubs, and she would soon call the farm home to her new young family.

Sadly, on 18 February, a male Otter was found dead on  A4226 (Five-mile Lane) in the Vale of Glamorgan. This busy road is well-known to local commuters to Barry in the south.

Despite the sad news, hope remained that the female and her young would be ok.

Tragically, just two weeks later, the worst thing imaginable happened, the female Otter was found killed on the same road in the very same location as her partner, just days before. Worse still, the female otter was by now a mother as she had already given birth to her two young cubs.

Efforts to search nearby rivers and woodlands for the mother’s cubs were undertaken by local farmers and volunteers, but unfortunately it was in vain.

As the female Otter was still lactating, it is presumed that the young cubs perished through starvation a few days after their mother’s death.

Otters can live up to 12 years in the wild and usually reach sexual maturity at the age of two. As mothers invest a great deal of time rearing and looking after their cubs, it means that a female otter may only have two litters of young in her lifetime.

“Extra vigilance is needed”

Chief Executive of INCC, Rob Parry said: “The Vale of Glamorgan is not alone when it comes to dangerous roads for wildlife.

“All Across Wales, otters are being killed when trying to cross busy roads. Motorists need to be aware of the risks that otters are crossing our roads.”

He added: “Dusk and early evening rush hour traffic is a particularly bad time, and extra vigilance is needed.

“If new road bridges were designed properly, otters wouldn’t need to leave the river in the first place. These tragedies can be avoided”.

Vale of Glamorgan (VoG) council is now investigating what they can do at these pinch points and other locations across the county to prevent further otter deaths in future.

Campaigning efforts have now begun by Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru and local groups to install signage along the A4226 to encourage drivers to be vigilant for wildlife whilst driving and to warn them of the potential risk of otters on the road.