A mother otter and two cubs were spotted for the first time at our Wheldrake Ings reserve near York in January, suggesting they are breeding again in the area in what is thought to be the first time in years.

The good news was confirmed by an otter being caught on one of our wildlife cameras at the reserve in early March – skittering away across the ice during the big freeze!

There are thought to be 11,000 otters in the UK – but spotting one can give an overinflated impression of numbers as a male otter can occupy up to 30km of river as a single territory. As a result, it is quite difficult to estimate the number of otters in Yorkshire alone.

However, they have come a long way from the brink of catastrophic decline seen in the 1950s and 60s. They are still rare and fairly elusive, and as a result are a protected species – it’s illegal to harm or disturb them, or damage breeding or resting places.

The presence of otters spells good news for our waterways. Otters are a signal of improving water quality and so increasing sightings in some of our Yorkshire urban rivers is definitely a cause for celebration.

They predate a wide range of river-dwelling creatures as well as fish, including invasive species like signal crayfish, and can help to maintain a balanced ecosystem.

Early in the morning when things are quiet is the best time to see otters, but you are far more likely to find signs of their presence, from footprints in the mud to their black, tar-like spraint which might include fishbones. 

Otters are well suited to a life on the water with webbed feet and dense fur to keep them warm. They are well adapted to their environment and can close their ears and nose when underwater. They raise their cubs in underground burrows, known as 'holts’, which also helps them to evade detection!

That being said, otters are bigger than you might think, growing up to a metre in length from their nose to the end of their long, pointed tail.

Otters are also often confused with the invasive, non-native and similar-looking mink. This invasive mustelid is present on rivers across much of the UK after many escaped, or were released, from fur farms in the 1960s and 1970s. Mink can have a devastating impact on local wildlife in the places they have established, and contribute to the reduction of river birds like kingfishers and small mammals such as water voles. Otters can be distinguished from mink by their much larger size and broader face.

If you’re keen to chance some otter spotting (and feeling lucky) there are a few Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserves where they have been spotted! Aside from Wheldrake Ings, you could try sitting quietly and watching the water at Staveley nature reserve near Ripon, Kirkstall Valley just outside Leeds or Skerne Wetlands in the East Riding. 

Find my nearest reserve!

If you do spot an otter, be sure to let us know – we love to hear about wildlife enjoyed on our reserves and it makes the work we do to protect them all the more meaningful.