OTTERS have been returning to Cheshire’s rivers over the past 30 years, due to the increasingly good water quality and the banning of pesticides such as aldrin and dieldrin.

Although it is a great conservation success story, members of the Cheshire region Biodiversity Partnership realised that farmers and landowners are unaware of how to identify if they have otters on their land and what habitats they need.

A training day was held in Mickle Trafford to help local land managers and farmers learn about this seldom seen mammal. Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Living Landscape manager, Richard Gardner, said: “The day included looking for fresh signs of otter along the River Gowy, followed by a jaunt to see an artificial holt that was installed in December 2008, which is already showing signs of habitation by otters.”

“Participants then had the chance to get their hands dirty and build an otter holt that will undoubtedly provide a valuable resting place for the River Gowy’s otters.”

The day was funded by Chester Zoo and Shell UK. Thanks go to local land-owners David and Huw Rowlands and Stuart Arden for hosting the event.