A charity has warned that Anglesey otters are dying as a result of increased road traffic

A charity has warned that an increase in road traffic is a major threat to Anglesey’s recovering otter population.

The British Wild Otter Trust nursed an eight-week-old wild otter cub back to health after its mother was hit and left to fend for itself for several days.

Otters were largely absent from the island for much of the 20th century, but have returned in the last 40 years.

But emergency teams have warned that an increase in road traffic, as well as flooding, land development and pollution put them at risk.

The Menai European otter, named after the bridge to Anglesey, weighed less than 1kg when it was spotted by a member of the public and rescued by volunteers.

Guards found the puppy’s mother dead about a week after rescuing it. Menai’s sister was also found, but she could not be saved.

Dave Webb, founder of the Devon-based British Wild Otter Trust, said young people “rely completely on” their mothers for care and the fact that Menai survived was “miraculous.”

He said the team hopes to release him back into the wild in about a year, “when he is old enough to survive on his own.”

The charity launched its Slow Down for Otters campaign last year to tackle the rising death toll and is currently experiencing its busiest year since its launch in 1998.

“We see so many youths orphaned by traffic,” Webb said.

“Last year, a total of 32 cubs visited us. This year there were 31 of them, and this week another four will be on their way to the center.

“We want to raise public awareness that otters live in the area and also draw attention to the habitat they drive through, particularly along or across rivers.”

He urged drivers to also watch out for other wild animals, including deer, rabbits, badgers and foxes.

Research conducted at the University of Cardiff, published in 2022found fewer otter tracks in almost all waterways in Wales and the UK.

Signs of otters, such as footprints, droppings and hiding places, were spotted in just over 70% of sites visited in Wales, a 22% decrease since 2010.

Eleanor Kean, the independent ecologist who led the research, said there had been “a bit of complacency” in recent years when it came to protecting otter populations.