Written question asked by Greg Knight (Conservative) on Tuesday, 17 January 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 January 2012. It was answered by Lord Benyon (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 January 2012 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Otters

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the (a) size and (b) location of the wild otter population in England in the last 20 years; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: It is currently not possible to estimate otter abundance from the quantity and distribution of otter signs and sightings. Research investigating the possibility of assessing numbers of otters from DNA or chemical analysis of spraint (otter faeces) is ongoing.Three national otter surveys have been carried out in England in the last 20 years—in 1991-94, 2000-02 and 2009-10. Direct comparison of the 2,940 sites used in all three of these surveys reveals that the number of sites showing signs of otters has increased from 23.4% in 1991-94, to 36.3% in 2000-02, and again to 58.8% in 2009-10. Since the publication of the last report otter signs in Kent have confirmed that the species is now present throughout England.

Secondary information