Otters 'struggling to cope' with extreme flooding

The UK's wild otter population has been hit hard in recent months as record rainfall levels have caused flooding in many rivers, according to a rescue charity that is seeing soaring demand.

Otters build their homes, known as holts, in river banks.

But some of these habitats were destroyed by very high water levels during the series of violent storms that began last autumn.

The UK Wild Otter Trust says it has taken in dozens in recent months.

Lincolnshire-based UK Wild Otter Trust volunteer Summer Hales said: "They are really, really strong swimmers. However when a river is in flood and the current is really strong, they will struggle, especially mums with cubs.

"A cub won't be able to swim properly in the strong currents and they become separated from their mother."

Many rescued cubs are taken in The UK Wild Otter Trust headquarters in Devon where they are bottle fed milk and given fresh fish.

Dave Webb, the founder of the Trust, said that in January their rehabilitation centre took in 21 otter cubs from all over the country.

"Last year we had 32 for the entire year."

Sadly the number of cubs rescued is likely to be only a small proportion of the otters hit by flooding he added that "80 or 90% will have perished."

The young otters are fed fresh fish and bottled milk to help them recover.

The UK Wild Otter Trust then releases them back into the wild.

Dave Webb said he had concerns about climate change and whether otters were able to adapt.

"I think they'll struggle and it wouldn't take a lot to wipe out a complete population is a certain area"

As spring arrives and floodwaters recede it is hoped the otters can re-establish themselves on many of our rivers.

But our changing climate will continue to bring challenges to even this species, one of the strongest swimmers of any UK wildlife.

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