Otters and the use of electrical fencing/traps

 In 2022 I learnt quite by accident that some tenants in the Staple Hill area of Bristol were using equipment purchased from Ebay and Amazon to create electrical fencing to deter otters from koi carp ponds. This is also going on in other areas with carp ponds.

I went through DEFRA who were utterly useless and did not seem to give a damn about the matter despite, and I quote:

"Otters are designated and protected as European protected species ( EPS ). EPS are protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. It is an offence to: deliberately kill, injure, disturb or capture them."

So after the usual run around I contacted Bristol City Council Animal Welfare 🙄 Department and I was given the shrug and "nothing to do with us" (BCC just keeps on 'giving'). Despite otter deaths on one particular road the idea of fencing and an animal road underpass was "beyond council local policy" whatever that means.

My next port of call was the supposed be all and end all on these things -Natural England. I emailed, got passed along, ignored and then after further efforts to be a pest got this response in January but Natural England does not seem to give a ****.

"Hello Terry

"I have had an email from another colleague about your query which I thought might be useful for you. He has read the Natural England guidance that was on the facebook thread and had the following comment:

"Although this refers to development and habitat loss I think the people with the pond need to be careful how they mitigate against the otters to protect the pond. The extract includes ‘uses otter-proof fences to stop otters getting on to development sites’.

"He suggests contacting Natural England for a clear answer on what people are allowed to do to protect an established pond.

"I believe this is the quote in question.

"Avoidance, mitigation and compensation measures

Look for examples of avoidance, mitigation or compensation plans in the development proposal. The proposal could avoid:

· work on or near the water body and known otter habitat, including work to road crossings and culverts

· disturbance effects, for example, by leaving a buffer zone along a river

· night works

The size of the buffer zone along the stretch of water will vary depending on:

· how otters use the area

· the type of vegetation at the site

· the level of existing background disturbance

· the level of proposed disturbance

Where avoidance measures are not possible, mitigation measures could include designing the development so that it:

· retains otter habitats in the water body and bank

· uses otter-proof fences to stop otters getting into development sites

"Otters are highly territorial animals with large home ranges. Depending on the quality of the habitat and availability of food, males can range along rivers for 35km. Otters will continue to try and use routes if alternatives are not included in a mitigation strategy.

Contact Natural England

Natural England County Hall Spetchley Road Worcester WR5 2NP United Kingdom

Email

enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone

0300 060 3900"

So I am now chasing NE up again. It is about time people began to learn to live with wildlife and find ways around problems without the use of devices that might harm wildlife.