• Protecting the world's otters

  • Wild Means Wild

    Otters are at the height of the illegal wildlife trade. Working on legislation, rescue and rehabilitation and reducing the demand for otters as pets, furs and traditional medicines.

  • Join our Mailing List

    Keep up to date on what’s happening at IOSF, otter news, conservation, stories and ideas on how you can help!

© Charlie Hamilton James; © IOSF; © Vanessa Durán Sanzana

What we do

  • Caring for otters in need

    IOSF runs an otter rehabilitation centre on the Isle of Skye in Scotland that cares for otters that are in need. Throughout the years, IOSF has cared for 254 otters in our centre.
    We have also placed ourselves as one of the world’s leading rehabilitation experts and regularly help with otters across the world.

  • Stopping the otter trade

    Otters are traded for pets, furs and traditional medicines. The trade of otters as pets is being fuelled by social media, cafés and circuses, among other things. It is our responsibility to stop fuelling the demand for this trade.
    © SCORPION Foundation

  • Educating the next generation

    Education is about inclusion and inspiriation. Through our Team Otter programme we are working to reconnect children with nature and igniting a passion to last a lifetime.
    © IOSF

Dedicated to the conservation of the world’s 13 species of otter

Otters are part of the Mustelid family which also includes badgers, pine martens and weasels.

There are 13 species of otter around the world and many of them are endangered.

Use the links to explore the different species and find out more about otters in other parts of the world.

Our work

  • Research

    Gaining more information on populations, threats, human perception and much more

  • Education

    Community engagement, workshops and Team Otter, IOSF’s children’s environmental education programme.

  • Rehab

    The rescue and rehabilitation of otters back to the wild, both in the UK and worldwide.

  • Trade & Threats

    Trade for pets, fur and traditional medicine. Threats include habitat loss, persecution and pollution.

  • World Otter Day

    On the last Wednesday in May each year, IOSF World Otter Day is celebrated globally!

  • Report a sighting

    Help us grow our understanding of otters across the world by sending us your otter sightings.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

— Mohandas K. Gandhi

Get involved

  • Get our newsletter

    Subscribe and keep up to date on everything that IOSF is achieving and news across the otter world.

  • Otter Shop

    Support otter conservation through the IOSF Otter Shop with a number of otter-themed items.

  • Go otter watching

    Join IOSF for a magical day on the Isle of Skye searching for the elusive Eurasian otter.

About otters

Learn more about otters, how and where they live and why they are so precious.

© Mike Hooper