Cheshire’s otter population will be given a welcome boost in the new year, thanks to a training event being organised by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT).
Conservationists and land managers will learn how to build new homes for otters at the event, which is being funded by Chester Zoo, Shell UK, BASC and CWT, and will educate land managers on otter ecology and how to build artificial otter holts on their land.
BASC’s Cheshire biodiversity officer, Ben Gregory, said: “The event will not only train land managers on how to spot otters but we will also utilise the workforce on the day to build two artificial otter holts on land near Chester. This will give a huge boost to the local otter population as natural holt building material is pretty scarce along this section of the River Gowy.”
Recent surveys carried out by BASC’s Green Shoots project and CWT have discovered otter spraints on some of the bridges crossing the River Gowy which shows that otters have a strong presence there.
Cheshire region Biodiversity Partnership (CrBP) coordinator, Sarah Bennett, said: “This is a great example of organisations working together for the benefit of wildlife. By pooling resources, the day will create two holts and encourage local land managers to record sightings of otters and manage their sites for the benefit of otters.”