Head Office Press Office - 17-Jan-2007 - Ambitious new targets for the recovery of the UK’s threatened otter populations have followed confirmation the species has recently been detected in every major city in the country.

Just as otters have been discovered in central London for the first time in over a century last year, revised UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) targets have been produced highlighting the aim to return the aquatic mammal to 85% of its former river habitat by 2015.

"The gradual recovery of otters has been very promising over the past two decades, and we want to ensure this continues into the future," said Environment Agency otter specialist Graham Scholey.

"In the late 1970s our initial goal was to consolidate numbers and stop the otter population from further losses. At this time only 6% of traditional sites in England had evidence of otters. But with substantial water quality and habitat improvements, otters are returning to rivers where they haven’t been seen for decades. This has allowed the Government to set ambitious new targets within the Biodiversity Action Plan that will hopefully see otters populating 85% of their former range by 2015.

"Scientific surveys have shown that otters have returned to at least 75% of the territory that they traditionally called home. This doesn’t mean these rivers have established viable long-term populations – in some cases it may only be one or two otters moving back into an area where their ancestors had previously flourished. But it’s a good sign."

The most promising improvement in otter populations has been in England where otters can be found in almost twice as many areas as they could 10 years ago.

Mr Scholey said: "Working with local wildlife trusts and water companies to improve water quality, riverbank habitats and wetlands has undoubtedly helped the otter populations to establish and grow. Although otter numbers in the rivers surrounding London and the South-east are still low compared to some other parts of the country this is clear evidence that the population is breeding and spreading"

"We now need to accurately monitor their fortunes and health into the future and deal with any threats, such as road kills. As top predator, the otter is one the most valuable indicators of a healthy water environment, and achievement of these targets will be testimony to the continued improvement in the state of our rivers."

The Environment Agency is directly responsible for 39 BAP species and 5 BAP habitats, and all UK Biodiversity Action Plan targets have been fully reviewed by the UK Government for the first time since the national species and habitat action plans were published (1995-1999). New targets for BAPs can be found at http://www.ukbap-reporting.org.uk

With the success of last years captive breeding program for the highly endangered Freshwater Pearl Mussel, the new target is to double the number of viable wild populations in England and Wales by 2015.

"Pearl mussels are found sparsely populating 22 rivers in England and Wales, but very few are reproducing successfully because they are geographically isolated from each other and extremely susceptible to water pollution and increased turbidity," said the Environment Agency's pearl mussel specialist Anne Lewis.

"Although there has been an overall improvement in many of England's rivers over the past few decades, the juvenile pearl mussel requires pristine conditions to survive.

"But in Wales last year, 70,000 juvenile pearl mussels were hatched in captivity, and many will be relocated into suitable river habitat within five years.

"We aim to mirror the Welsh success by bringing together samples from England’s remaining wild populations, breeding them in captivity and relocating their offspring back into donor rivers. The aim is to not only develop viable breeding populations by creating an 'ark' for the species in captivity but also to ensure future generations are self sustaining in the wild by long term improvements in river water quality."

NOTES:

Biodiversity Action Plans: are the UK Government's response to the Convention on Biological Diversity signed in 1992, the targeted actions to protect and enhance 391 species and 45 habitats that are under threat. The Environment Agency is directly responsible for 39 BAP species and 5 BAP habitats, and has actions for 120 other BAP species and 28 other BAP habitats.

Lead Partners:

Otter (Lutra lutra): Environment Agency and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts.

Freshwater Pearl Mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera): Environment Agency, Natural England and the Freshwater Biological Association.