Legacy Habitat Management can provide professionally built artificial otter holts designed to mimic their natural habitat and provide suitable accommodation to mitigate against habitat loss.
At Legacy Habitat Management, we work closely with ecology professionals from initial design detail through construction and final commissioning of works. This ensures that the final product meets all the required specifications and is located correctly to maximise chance of otters taking residency.
Although otter populations are on the increase after a number of years of decline, they are afforded protection under both the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. This makes it an offence to deliberately capture, injure or kill otters or to damage, destroy or obstruct their breeding or resting places.
Where otter habitats are at risk from a development project or habitat has been lost by other activities, it may be necessary to construct artificial holts to provide alternative habitat. The construction of artificial holts may also be used to encourage otter populations to take up residence in a suitable location.
Otter Holts can vary in design depending on location and site conditions. The usual form of construction is a ground based holt designed to replicate an otters natural habitat. Location is crucial here and the site should be chosen by a trained ecologist to ensure its suitability. If no suitable location can be determined, it may be a better solution to construct a floating otter holt, this may also be preferable to minimise human disturbance.
Legacy Habitat Management can provide all the material for otter holt construction, whether this be custom built chambers or natural local materials such as log material and willow or hazel withies.
