Otters: Ecology, Surveying and Conservation 

Otters nearly vanished from our waterways in the second half of the 20th century due to habitat loss, pollution of watercourses, and hunting. Thanks to new legislation in the 1980’s and continuing conservation efforts, otter populations are now more stable.

By the end of the course, you will be able to: 

• Understand otter ecology.
• Understand current legislation and conservation methods in place to protect and conserve otters.
• Learn to differentiate between otter spraint & tracks and field signs of other mammals that are likely to be found in similar locations in order to enable you to effectively conduct surveys.

Who Should Attend? – Nature enthusiasts, students, rangers, early career consultants and ecologists.

Knowledge Level – Beginner to intermediate. Level descriptors can be found on the following web-page: Framework and Course Level Descriptors.

Prior Knowledge – No existing knowledge or experience is needed for this course, just a willingness to explore and learn.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no accommodation or meal facilities provided with this course. Refreshments (tea and coffee) will be available. If we are unable to reach viable numbers for this course, we will inform you of the course cancellation 4-5 weeks prior to the course run. We would recommend when purchasing accommodation and/or travel you should take out your own insurance.

Bookings will close if course capacity is reached. 

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

Vivien Kent

Vivien Kent is a Wildlife Biologist with over 20 years’ experience of researching and working with carnivores in southern Africa and the UK. For the past 10 years she has been focussing on otters in the UK – one of our most charismatic species. She is a member of the IUCN SSC Otter Specialist Group and co-founded The Otter Network in north-east England.

Laura Hough

Laura has always been a keen outdoor enthusiast and so going into a career in conservation was always an obvious path. For the past 3 years Laura has been a Project Officer for Menter Mon working on Afonydd Menai (Menai Rivers) project, which aims to protect our local water vole population. Working along the river catchments of North Wales she is lucky enough to conduct many surveys and she thoroughly enjoy identifying species’ tracks and signs.

Timings for this course may vary, so please check the start and end times of the different course runs at the bottom of the page.

Please arrive in time for the course to start promptly.

This course will involve both classroom learning and field excursions to cover all of the learning objectives.

Lunch is not included so please bring your own food. Refreshments (tea and coffee) will be provided.

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  Expert Tuition

The course has been carefully created by expert tutors and educators to help you build your knowledge and apply it within the field surrounded by like-minded individuals.

The course includes:

• Classroom learning covering the theory of the species
• Field excursions to apply new knowledge
• Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
• Clear objectives and progression
• Refreshments (tea/coffee)

You can rest assured that the absolute best content from an expert in environmental education will be provided. In choosing a Field Studies Council course, you will be joining thousands of people who learn with us each year.

Student Discount

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off all Biodiversity courses.

Natural History Bursaries

There are a number of natural history bursaries available to help with the cost of your course. To find out if you and your chosen course are eligible, read more here.

What to Bring

• Notebook and pencil
• Lunch and refreshments
• Sensible footwear and clothing for being outdoors
• Small bag to carry personal items

If you have them:

• Binoculars would be useful
• Surgical gloves for handling spraint and scat

Recommended Literature

• Mammals Tracks and Signs Wild ID Guide

There will be a member of staff with first aid training and access to a first aid kit on site. If you have special medical or access requirements, please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan the course.