We are a Devon-based charity dedicated to protecting the European otter and promoting a positive understanding of its conservation. We rescue and rehabilitate otter cubs or injured otters, giving them a home and care until they are ready to be released back into the wild.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Mortality on roads, flooding, entanglement in fish and lobster traps, and habitat degradation such as pollution continue to have a negative impact on the UK's otter population. The Eurasian otter is also still categorised as ‘near-threatened’ on the IUCN red list. Although otter numbers have drastically improved in the UK since their catastrophic decline in the 1950's/1960's there has been evidence to suggest recent localised decline in some areas.
Solution
Founded in 1998, and run solely by unpaid volunteers, The UK Wild Otter Trust has been rescuing, rehabilitating & releasing orphaned Eurasian otters back into the wild. Despite being a small charity, thanks to decades of experience, UKWOT are a highly respected authority on the rehabilitation of otters. We have created a specialist rehabilitation centre thanks to funders, charity partners and public support giving us capacity to care for up to 40 animals if full.
