Volume 4 Pages 1 - 45 (March 1989)

Citation: Riecken, U.. (1989) Status of the Otter (Lutra lutra) in Schleswig-Holstein (Northern Germany)  IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 4: 36

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Status of the Otter (Lutra lutra) in Schleswig-Holstein (Northern Germany)

Uwe Riecken

Federal Research Centre for Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Institute for Nature Conservation and Animal Ecology, Konstantinstr. 110, D-300 Bonn 2, West Germany

In 1986 and 1987 the situation of the otter in Schleswig-Holstein was investigated using the field survey method as recommended by the IUCN Otter Specialist Group. A total of 356 sites were surveyed (at rivers, lakes, ponds etc.) and each site was assessed for its suitability as otter habitat. Only 8 valid records of otters were found, 262 (14%) of the sites were considered unsuitable for otters and only 46 (13%) as suitable.

In Schleswig-Holstein only very few otters survived the dramatic decline in their populations caused by habitat destruction, hunting, traffic and drowning in eel traps etc. during the last decades. We expect the remaining population to become extinct in the next few years.

The full results of this survey are given in the paper by Heidemann and Riecken (see Recent Publications).

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