Have you seen an otter on the coast or in the sea around Pembrokeshire? If so, your information could help inform a survey currently being conducted for the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (http://www.pembrokeshiremarinesac.org.uk">www.pembrokeshiremarinesac.org.uk). Pembrokeshire is an ideal and important county for our native otter. After the massive decline in numbers during the 1960s when this beautiful but elusive animal disappeared from most Welsh rivers, otters have made a remarkable recovery. They now inhabit most of Pembrokeshire's rivers, streams and lakes and are even seen occasionally, for example, swimming through Haverfordwest! But, otters are not restricted to fresh water habitats. Information from recent surveys, and sightings by sailors, walkers, fishermen, and even divers, shows that otters are venturing into the sea, swimming out from our estuaries and freshwater rivers and streams to hunt for crabs and marine fish along the coast. A pioneering project (set up by Geoff Liles, of The Otter Consultancy, and Sue Burton, officer for the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area for Conservation) is now underway to discover how much of the coast is used by otters. In the boat- based survey, Sue and Geoff are searching for otter signs in rocky inlets (that cannot be reached from land) along the coast and islands. "This is really exciting research," said Sue. "The otter is one of the special features of this Marine Special Area for Conservation, and it's important that we find out how they're using the coast and what they're feeding on." As well as the boat survey, land based otter surveys of the coast have been carried out during the past year by trained volunteers, and the information they provide is helping to shed light on seasonal differences in the use of the coast by otters. Both the boat survey and volunteer coast surveys rely on finding - and collecting - otter droppings. Geoff said: "Otters leave their droppings at prominent sites as territory markers, so once you know what to look for they're easy to find. And of course, droppings contain lots of bones and fish scales, so by collecting and analysing them we can find out what otters are eating. Thank goodness their droppings smell lovely!" As well as building up information on otters on the coast and islands from the surveys, Sue and Geoff are also keen to receive records of otter sightings on or near the coast. Please send any sightings information to Geoff Liles, of The Otter Consultancy, tel. 01239 682861, email: [email protected]">[email protected]. Records will be used to help inform current research and will also be made available to the County Records Centre.
