Donal Hickey: Spotted any otters? Pop the details on this survey...

A study of the River Bride, in Blackpool, found the otter is well-adapted to city life and is an important urban species

The Otter and its habitat are protected under the EU Habitats Directive which requires that Ireland reports on the status of the species at regular intervals. Threats and pressures could include river corridor management such as culverting, canalisation and dredging as well as pollution, oil spillages and road traffic. Picture: Ronald Surgenor / Biodiversity Ireland

We don’t see otters very often as they emerge largely when it’s dark, but they’re present in numbers in all counties along rivers, lakes and coasts.

In an era of wildlife decline, the otter population here has remained stable and Ireland is regarded as a stronghold of the species, while it has declined in Britain and continental Europe. The national population is estimated at 10,000.