{"id":72420,"date":"2022-02-17T15:43:09","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T15:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/?p=72420"},"modified":"2022-04-23T12:31:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-23T11:31:56","slug":"otter-population-in-wales-could-be-under-threat-due-to-river-pollution-%ef%bf%bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/science-environment\/otter-population-in-wales-could-be-under-threat-due-to-river-pollution-%ef%bf%bc","title":{"rendered":"Otter population in Wales could be under threat due to river pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"with-an-increase-in-toxic-chemicals-and-contaminants-in-rivers-otters-one-of-wales-most-treasured-animals-could-be-facing-imminent-danger-once-again-after-60-years\">With an increase in toxic chemicals and contaminants in rivers, otters \u2014 one of Wales\u2019 most treasured animals could be facing imminent danger once again after 60 years.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1.jpg 950w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1-293x165.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1.jpg 950w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/eurasian_otter_water_river_pollution-1-293x165.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Eurasian otters found in Wales could be declining in population due to river pollution (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/topaz-mcnumpty\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Photograph: Jeff Chard<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Jeff Chard had been out for four hours, scanning the River Taff with his binoculars. It was a chilly January morning and he was on his first otter-sighting expedition. Feeling cold and dejected, he was about to turn back when he noticed a slight disturbance in the water. An otter \u2014 his first otter&nbsp;\u2014 crept out of the water and curled up on a mossy rock, as the only ray of sunshine fell on it through the trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking back, however, if there&#8217;s one thing that he wishes was different, it would be the persistent pollution in British rivers. &#8220;We had a saying from when I was younger, \u2018You could go swimming in our rivers and you\u2019d come out dirtier\u2019,\u201d says Jeff, who\u2019s been an otter enthusiast since that fateful day in 2011. \u201cThis beautiful creature was surrounded by rubbish, when it should have been in a wonderful environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 64-year old, fondly called \u2018The Otterman\u2019 in the local wildlife fraternity has seen 93 different otters in the UK in the last eleven years, but the increasing river pollution has made him concerned about their population \u2014 especially after otter signs went down by 22 percent last year in Wales, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru\/media\/694539\/osw-6th-report-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">national survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This was the first time a decline had been reported in otter signs since the surveys began in 1977. Usually done every seven years, these surveys were established to monitor the revival of otters after they almost disappeared from the UK in 1950s and 60s, and have been the most reliant figures for otter population since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load\" title=\"River Pollution Causing Decline in Otter Population in Wales\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"about:blank\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QLAipdGns2o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><noscript><iframe title=\"River Pollution Causing Decline in Otter Population in Wales\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QLAipdGns2o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr Eleanor Kean, an independent ecologist who led the survey work, says that while pollutants like plastics and nets are unquestionably harmful for otters, their solitary and secretive nature makes it difficult to examine the effects of chemical pollution on them. \u201cThere are all sorts of different chemicals in the environment today, and we don&#8217;t really understand what their impact on wildlife health could be,\u201d Dr Kean says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though otters nearly disappeared from the UK 60 years ago, bans on chemicals like pesticides and herbicides had helped these mammals chart a rare success story in wildlife conservation. \u201cWe can see from the previous data that when limits on organic pollutants that caused the decline were put in, they started showing a comeback. So, this sort of thing is possible \u2014 legislative controls on chemicals work,\u201d says Dr Kean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1021\/acs.est.1c05410\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research<\/a> from Cardiff University, however, has found that alarming amounts of toxic contaminants used in clothing and plastic industries could once again be the cause of otters&#8217; declining numbers. Jo Wilson, research assistant at the Cardiff University Otter Project \u2014 an initiative to study otters \u2014 believes that this is going to affect all beings relying on water, including humans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can have a beautiful river that looks incredibly clear and healthy,&#8221; Jo says. &#8220;Like the Wye, for example, looks beautiful, but it doesn&#8217;t have to be full of floating plastic and scum on the top of the water for it to be actually very polluted. And otters, like us, need unpolluted fresh water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-75529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-75529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/IMG_4481-2-1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>A decline in wildlife was noticed in the river Wye, after phosphate levels crossed five times over the acceptable limit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Otter Project has also undertaken the action of raising awareness about otters and their crucial role in the functioning of the ecosystem. \u201cA lot of people find them adorable, but they are also the top predators,\u201d says Jo. \u201cSo if we see a change in their population status, that leads us to question what else is happening lower down the food chain in fresh waters. Without them, an imbalance in other species\u2019 population can occur.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, there seems to be growing interest and affinity towards otters. Dr Kean thinks that the shared love of the British public towards otters means that people who otherwise wouldn\u2019t get involved in environmental programmes, are now starting to get concerned about issues like pollution and climate change. \u201cThey\u2019re a species that can garner a lot of support in this respect. So, I hope this serves as a springboard for more work to be done,\u201d Dr Kean says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jeff, who was the UK Wild Otter Trust Ambassador in 2020, echoes similar sentiments. He has presented over a hundred talks in local communities, helping them become more informed and mindful about the creatures, and the response has been fantastic. Although he had to put talks on hold due to Covid, Jeff believes that the pandemic has resulted in an unexpected outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile the lockdown somewhat diminished pollution levels, I think it also increased the number of people going out to their local rivers looking for otters. And they\u2019re amazed to see such wildlife, often the first time for many of them!\u201d says Jeff. \u201cThe more people we have appreciating otters, the better. I can only hope otter enthusiasts come together with conservation groups and wildlife trusts to find solutions for the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"2560\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-scaled.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-120x300.jpg 120w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-410x1024.jpg 410w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-770x1925.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-614x1536.jpg 614w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-819x2048.jpg 819w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-293x733.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-1400x3501.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-scaled.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-120x300.jpg 120w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-410x1024.jpg 410w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-770x1925.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-614x1536.jpg 614w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-819x2048.jpg 819w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-293x733.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/02\/Five-things-to-know-about-otters-1-1400x3501.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With an increase in toxic chemicals in rivers, otters \u2014 one of Wales\u2019 most treasured animals could be facing imminent danger once again after 60 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":801,"featured_media":72648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[132,390,564],"coauthors":[1066],"class_list":["post-72420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-environment","tag-climate-change","tag-plastic","tag-wildlife"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Otter population in Wales could be under threat due to river pollution - InterCardiff<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta 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