Icon of National Park Weerribben-Wieden - The Otter

The otter is a shy animal, usually active at night, and it is excellent at swimming and diving. It usually dives underwater for less than one minute, but can stay there for up to four minutes. When swimming and diving, the tail functions as a rudder. Ears and nostrils close underwater; eyes remain open. The otter has a highly developed nose (1,000 times stronger than humans), very sensitive whiskers and firm eyebrows that, especially in murky water, act as feelers.

The otter disappeared from the Netherlands at the hands of man, but through man's efforts it also returned. He symbolizes hope and rewards the effort to continue to protect him and his habitat.

In 1988 the last otter in the Netherlands died. Caught near Joure. Decades of environmental pollution, hunting, increasing traffic and more and more obstacles in their habitat had become fatal to the otter. Until the tide turned and a second chance followed from 2002. Investments were made in habitat and water quality. In that year the first otters, in three groups, were released into National Park Weerribben-Wieden. Not for nothing is precisely the otter the icon of the National Park. Meanwhile, more than 20 years later, more than 500 otters live throughout the Netherlands.

ORCAUSE OF DISAPPEARANCE

Otters were still abundant in large parts of Europe and the Netherlands in the middle of the last century (1950). Forty years later, however, around 1990, they had disappeared from large parts of Western Europe. This was due to habitat degradation, due to reclamation, steep sheet pile walls in canals and rivers that were impregnable for the otter, drowning in fishing nets and increasingly heavy traffic. Also, the amount of PCBs (from oil, plastics and paint) in the water is said to negatively affect the fertility of the otters. The otter is an "indicator species. Is the otter doing well? Then the water is clean and there are plenty of fish or crayfish.

REINTRODUCTION

In 1989, a "Restoration Plan for Otter Habitat" was presented by the government. Within eight years, parts of our country should again be suitable should be suitable for the otter to live in. So, banks were made otter-friendly, water quality improved and fencing and otter passages at busy roads were erected. In 2002, the first otters were released. They came from Latvia, Belarus or from captivity. To properly monitor how the otters would move through the area, they were all fitted with transmitters. Unfortunately, a year later there were only seven otters left in National Park Weerribben-Wieden. Two had been killed and one died of liver disease. The remaining otters had set out. Out into the wide world.

THE WERRIBBEN

In the search for a suitable habitat for the new otter, the choice fell on northwest Overijssel. The Weerribben, now part of National Park Weerribben-Wieden, were suitable. The largest contiguous low moorland swamp in Western Europe, with protected status, was approved. Also, shortly before extinction, otters were still present here, the water quality was reasonable, traffic not yet very busy and fishing not very intensive.

THE NEW OTTERS

It was not yet easy to catch the new otters for De Weerribben. On a first attempt only three otters were caught. One in Latvia and two in Belarus. In order to go ahead with the release, two orphaned otters from the Czech Republic and two males from Sweden were added to the group. On July 7, 2002, the time had come. In the presence of then State Secretary Faber (Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries), one cameraman and one photographer, the seven otters were released. That evening all the newsreels opened with this special news. A second group of eight otters was released in October, followed by the last group in November.

FOLLOW THE OTTER

In 2003, researchers write in the journal Mammal about the experiences in the first year after the follow, they were all fitted with a small transmitter. Those transmitters were placed in the abdominal cavity and had a range of 500-1500 meters. Tracking the otters was mainly done by boat or car. If no otter was found, the researchers even searched by plane. The first days in the new area the otters stayed near the release site. Each night the otters traveled one to three kilometers, often less. With the arrival of the second group, their activity also increased. The habitat became larger and the otters went exploring. Towards Rottige Meente, the Oldelamer, the Wester- and Oosterschar and even the Kuinderbos. Otter males are solitary animals and have their own territory. Especially the dominant males have large habitats. The diameter of a habitat of males is on average about 15 km and that of females 7 km.

THE OTTER NOW

By 2022, the number of otters in the Netherlands was estimated at more than 500 animals, and by now the otter has spread across much of the Netherlands. From the city of Groningen to the Biesbosch. The animals move easily through ditches and canals and partly over land, expanding their distribution area further and further. It is important for the species (genetic variation) that natural areas are better connected. As is going to happen between Weerribben-Wieden and Rottige Meente. But even better, the otter can move freely towards our eastern and southern neighbors. Busy traffic is still one of the major threats to the otter population. Measures to protect the otter such as installing fencing along roads and tunnels and creating passages remain necessary to make it as easy as possible for the otter. Staff and volunteers from the Forestry Commission, Natuurmonumenten and the Mammal Society monitor the otter daily and conduct ongoing research.