Volume 10 Pages 1 - 56 (October 1994)

Citation: Linet, C. (1994) Otters in Belgium. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 10: 7 - 8

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Otters in Belgium

Christiane Linet

WWF - Belgium, Chaussee de Waterloo 608, B-1060 Bruxelles, Belgium

With more than 350 inhabitants by square kilometer, Belgium has one of the highest human densities in the world. Human pressure is ubiquitous and makes cohabitation with other living creatures extremely hazardous for the latters. The dwindling of the otter (Lutra lutra) population initiated in the last century with the purpose to rid the anglers of a clever competitor could not be stopped during the last decade of the present century despite the newly aquired status of protected animal. Less than three dozens of individuals remain in our country. In cause:

• the disturbance of the habitats mainly
  1. by hydraulic works (dredging, filling, drainage, rectification of banks, etc...)
  2. by the extension of human habitat
  3. by recreational and turistical activities
• the pollution of the waters mainly by industrial, agricultural and domestic effluents
• the lack of food supply caused by the aforementioned pollutions and also by the unlawful, but still practiced habit, of planting resinous trees to close to the streams.

WWF - Belgium's action for the otter:

1. Habitat rehabilitation has been identified as the first objective. In two river basins where otters are still spotted, we contribute to the purchase and to rent of pieces of land and to the plantation of suitable tree species. The two rivers being the Yser in Flanders and the Sure in Wallony. Our friends of Oekofonds, in Luxembourg, also work on the Sure and have initiated many interesting activities there which make our work complementary.
2. We lobby at the regional, national and European level against the mismanagement of the river basins. We plead for the adoption of environmentally friendly engineering techniques, and for an active policy of water epuration, especially with regards to the polychlorobiphenyls.
3. We work at building an otter friendly attitude among the different nature users (hunters, hikers, anglers,...). We inform our fellow citizens about the otter, we upgrade the mustelid's image from the past "nuisance" conception to a new "asset" image. Otters are proposed as valuable biological indicators (and as very lovable ones!).

Any reintroduction of otters in Belgium is premature and could be contemplated only when substantial progresses are achieved in the three above mentioned areas of activities.

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