Otters thrive again in Danish waterways

Denmark’s otter population, once nearly wiped out, is now flourishing across the country, reports DR.

The small, elusive predator—protected under EU law—had all but disappeared from Danish nature, partly due to hunting. By the mid-1980s, only around 200 remained, confined to parts of Jutland. Today, otters have spread throughout Jutland and Funen, with sightings in western Zealand, Lolland, and Falster, according to the latest Novana monitoring from 2022.

“On Funen, there’s hardly a waterway without otters now,” said Morten Elmeros, senior advisor at Aarhus University’s Ecoscience department, who has studied dead otters in Denmark for years. He cautions that while the species is recovering, each individual requires vast territory—10 to 15 kilometres of waterway—and the loss of even a few can matter.

In Kerteminde, a dead male otter, around two years old, washed ashore in March. Examined by Elmeros, it showed no injuries, with drowning the likely cause. The find moved two local girls, who gathered snowdrops for a farewell.

Conservation efforts include adaptations like otter passages. In Vindinge Å, a 30-kilometre stream in eastern Funen, Kerteminde Municipality installed stepping stones and a tunnel passage to help otters avoid crossing roads. A wildlife camera soon captured two otters using it, confirming the project’s success, said Martin Søholm, the municipality’s biology and climate lead.

Elmeros notes the otter’s adaptability: “It quickly learns how we behave and adjusts. It realises we’re taking better care of its habitats.”