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News Updates

25/01/2012 Disease and suspect water quality responsible for drop in native fish numbers rather than predation by otters
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25/01/2012 Research into Californian sea otters
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21/01/2012 Otters spotted near Birmingham
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20/01/2012 Otters filmed on the River Welland, Harborough, Leicestershire
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17/01/2012 Help Californian sea otters through your taxes
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17/01/2012 Otters At Minsmere bird reserve
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11/01/2012 Problems with otters for fishfarmers in Malaysia
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23/12/2011 Baby otter found in Herefordshire and transferred to Scotland - she will soon be coming to IOSF
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23/12/2011 River otters return to South River, Maryland
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22/12/2011 €1m project to halt drop in Irish otter numbers
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22/12/2011 Northern sea otter numbers up by 4%
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19/12/2011 Fishermen still claiming that sea otters are harming their industry
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15/12/2011 Otters caught on camera in Berkshire
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09/12/2011 Otter fur trapping opens in Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof Island (Unit 4) of Alaska
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08/12/2011 Sea otter spotted off Laguna Beach, South California
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01/12/2011 Stour valley otters given artificial homes
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23/11/2011 Harbour to offer safe haven to sea otters in the case of an oil spill
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22/11/2011 United Utilities earn praise for building otter-friendly quiet-zones near Edgworth, Lancashire
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22/11/2011 Visitors to Strumpshaw reserve in the Norfolk Broads enjoy watching otters
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21/11/2011 Otters back in the Mersey
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20/11/2011 Hunting and pollution seriously effecting otters in Israel
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15/11/2011 372 otters killed in first ten days of trapping season in Iowa
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11/11/2011 Season opens for otter trapping in Ohio
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09/11/2011 Otter in Duddingston Loch, Edinburgh
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09/11/2011 Fighting otters win an award for a Welsh photographer
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04/11/2011 Powys Council (Wales) Chief Executive seeks help for injured otter
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04/11/2011 Council chief executive in Powys (Wales) issues pleas to help injured otter
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03/11/2011 Sea otters return to Clayoquot, Canada
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28/10/2011 Anglers are warned after two otters are found dead in Stamford and Bourne
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23/10/2011 The dangers of keeping otters as a pet are shown when a woman is attacked in Florida
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20/10/2011 Debate on whether non-native Alaskans should be allowed to buy sea otter skins
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20/10/2011 Simon King records otters in his garden in Somerset
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18/10/2011 An amazing video of smooth-coated otters and a CROCODILE!
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12/10/2011 Amazing photos of an otter seeing off a coyote!
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11/10/2011 Young otter spotted at Leighton Moss Wildlife Reserve, Lancashire
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10/10/2011 New regulations for otter trapping in Michigan
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09/10/2011 Rare sea otter spotted in San Diego waters
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05/10/2011 Otter spotted in River Bran, Portadown, Northern Ireland
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27/09/2011 Foul weather thwarts sea otter population study in California
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22/09/2011 Rider dodges otter at MotoGP 2011 Indianapolis
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22/09/2011 Public hearing on proposal to end sea otter ban
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22/09/2011 Vic Simpson, otter pathologist and vet, receives prestigious veterinary award
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20/09/2011 Special permit needed to trap otters in Ohio
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17/09/2011 Removal of dam gives a chance to restore nature
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12/09/2011 Salmon can "sniff" out predators such as otters
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08/09/2011 Stour otters out in the day
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07/09/2011 Otters in Dorset
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06/09/2011 Rose, the otter cub, comes to Skye
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02/09/2011 Governor signs bill to continue sea otter tax write-off for another five years
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29/08/2011 Otter fencing to protect fish stocks and keep otters off the road
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23/08/2011 California sea otter fund to be extended
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22/08/2011 Devon Donkey Sanctuary carry out otter watch
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22/08/2011 Northern Irish developers urged to help otters
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18/08/2011 Otters are back in every county of England - but read a word or warning on our Blog
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18/08/2011 Californian sea otters have a chance to expand their range
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18/08/2011 Otters on the River Irwell but again read our Blog
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17/08/2011 Morro Bay snubs Sea Otter Awareness Week
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16/08/2011 A study into how the removal of dams will effect otters
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14/08/2011 Otterfest in Montenegro
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05/08/2011 Surrey Wildlife Trust plan to boost otter population
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05/08/2011 Otter spotted in the River Nore, Kilkenny, Ireland
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27/07/2011 More coastal otters in Wales
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22/07/2011 Otter bones found in Stone Age Tomb in Orkney
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19/07/2011 Scientists at Cardiff University study the role of scent in otter communication
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19/07/2011 Loss of predators, such as sea otters, is man's biggest impact
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17/07/2011 Otters found in Bristol harbour - see video
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16/07/2011 Alaskan man jailed for illegally selling sea otter pelts
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15/07/2011 Otters in Flintshire, Wales
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08/07/2011 Hunting continues in West Virginia
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06/07/2011 Sea otters tagged in Alaska for population study
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05/07/2011 Otters in the River Robe, County Mayo, Ireland
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04/07/2011 Otter spotted on the coast in Dorset - but be warned one otter does not mean a "boom"
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01/07/2011 Otters in Pembrokeshire, Wales
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30/06/2011 No need for an otter cull - an angler talks sense!
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25/06/2011 Otters making a comeback in Pennsylvania
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23/06/2011 Yet another otter dies in an illegal trap, this time in Westmoreland
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22/06/2011 Aberdeenshire fishery delighted to be host to otters!
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16/06/2011 Watch a video of playful otters at Bishop's Palace in Somerset
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16/06/2011 Disappearance of crabs threatening otters
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08/06/2011 Otters in Lake Gaston, North Carolina and Virginia
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08/06/2011 Otters making a comeback in East Lancashire
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03/06/2011 California sea otters benefit from another 5 years funding from taxes
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02/06/2011 Wildlife at risk from low levels of water in English rivers
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31/05/2011 Cambridgeshire farm creates habitat for otters
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30/05/2011 Otters in Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve
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18/05/2011 Otter killed in crayfish trap in southern Scotland
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18/05/2011 Otter dies in illegal crayfish trap in southern Scotland
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16/05/2011 Biologists begin study of sea otters in south-east Alaska
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14/05/2011 Another albino otter - this time in the River Ayr, Scotland
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19/04/2011 Otter causes chaos in Irish Village - so be warned do not try and handle a wild otter
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07/04/2011 Otters found dead in illegal trap on the River Humber,
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28/03/2011 Fish farm uses novel way to keep otters out - lion dung!!
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27/03/2011 Otters in Tregaron, mid Wales, benefit from flood protection measures
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15/03/2011 Facebook used in otter survey
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15/03/2011 Water company helps otters
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12/03/2011 Three more poachers held in India and otter skin confiscated
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09/03/2011 Mother and cub seen in Water of Leith, Edinburgh
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07/03/2011 Otters show signs of recovery in Andalusia
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02/03/2011 Otters spotted in River Hull
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28/02/2011 Genetic study of otters in Patagonia
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26/02/2011 Otter death sparks poison worry in the River Stour
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21/02/2011 Californian state bill extends fund for sea otter protection
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20/02/2011 Sea otters help to restore the kelp forest in California
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14/02/2011 New environmental toxins used in waterproofing threaten Swedish otters
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03/02/2011 Wild otters spotted in Windermere
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01/02/2011 Kim Jong Un wears otter fur hat traditionally reserved for his father, President of North Korea.
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31/01/2011 A pretty sick meal in the Bronx
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28/01/2011 Are sharks responsible for the rise in sea otter deaths in California
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24/01/2011 Five otter skins seized and two men arrested in India
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22/01/2011 Record number of sea otters found dead off California
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20/01/2011 Man charged for illegally selling two sea otter skins in Alaska
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06/01/2011 Photographer captures a showdown between an otter and a coyote!
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04/01/2011 Our new otter is in the news
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03/01/2011 Children know so little about otters that 1 in 5 think they sleep in a nest
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31/12/2010 Otter numbers improve in Wales but IOSF warns of potential problems
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28/12/2010 Otter season closed in "Panhandle" area of Idaho. If they catch any more otters after this time they must hand them in for a $10 REWARD!
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09/12/2010 South Walsham (Norfolk) residents rally round to help injured otter
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08/12/2010 Minnesota trapper kills record sized otter - if they are not common why has he not been prosecuted for killing it!
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07/12/2010 Otters filmed using an artificial holt in Cambridgeshire
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07/12/2010 Otter appears in centre of Paisley during winter snows
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05/12/2010 New WWF survey of Hari Ke sanctuary, Punjab, India which is home to smooth coated otters
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04/12/2010 500 otters killed in 16 days as Iowa closes trapping season!
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02/12/2010 Rabid otter found dead
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02/12/2010 "Unwanted" otters moved to New Mexico
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02/12/2010 Southern sea otters of Alaska - numbers have roughly doubled since 2003
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01/12/2010 US may be willing to get rid of "no-otter" zone off California coast
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23/11/2010 Rabid otter attacks two people and a dog in Orlando
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22/11/2010 Otter cub found in Dorset
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19/11/2010 Otter trappers in Iowa have already caught half their quota
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19/11/2010 Otter rescued from drain in Malaysia
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16/11/2010 Photographer captures otter in Nottinghamshire reserve
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14/11/2010 Sea otter fur - the "golden fur"
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04/11/2010 Ohio otter trapping season begins
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03/11/2010 500 River otters to be killed as Iowa trapping season opens
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01/11/2010 Otters, kingfishers and other wildlife improving on England's waterways
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01/11/2010 Dog killed by poisoned food put out for sea otters
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29/10/2010 Southern sea otters venturing into "no-otter zone"
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29/10/2010 IOSF's Paul Yoxon replies to the report of a huge increase in otter numbers in England
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26/10/2010 Otter spotted in Edinburgh
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19/10/2010 Alaskan plan for sea otter recovery
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18/10/2010 Orca whales preying on Alaskan sea otters
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17/10/2010 Report by Environment Agency says otters are recovering well in England
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However, we must be careful with this as the data only says that an otter has passed through - it does not mean it is resident or breeding. Numbers cannot increase rapidly as otters breed very slowly.
14/10/2010 Alaskan sea otter round up - too many in SE and too few in SW
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14/10/2010 Alaskan tribe sues for right to hunt sea otters
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14/10/2010 For those of you who missed it here is a brief piece on IOSF from Scottish TV
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08/10/2010 Saving sea otters, saving ourselves
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03/10/2010 Alaskan Congressman introduces legislation to enhance the use of sea otter pelts
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27/09/2010 New fencing available to keep otters out of fisheries.
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26/09/2010 Otter removed from Oxford children's dictionary!
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26/09/2010 Yet another threat to sea otters
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21/09/2010 Sea otters stay in the Kenai Fjords National Park: population appears stable
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16/09/2010 Increase in shark-bitten sea otters in California
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15/09/2010 Otters have a new home at Tewkesbury School
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13/09/2010 Humans implicated in sea otter deaths
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11/09/2010 Monterey sea otters killed by toxic algae
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23/08/2010 Otters in the Verde river, Arizona
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22/08/2010 Otters could be at risk from development of athletes village for Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
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21/08/2010 Otters in the Provo river, Utah
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19/08/2010 Sea otters attacked by great white sharks off California
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19/08/2010 Otters killed by illegal nets in Wales
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06/08/2010 More information on sea otter decline
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03/08/2010 Californian sea otter numbers down again
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26/07/2010 Hairy-nosed otter re-discovered in Sabah
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22/07/2010 Otters in Minnesota
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17/07/2010 Otters back in Colorado and doing well
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16/07/2010 Public opinion sought on otter plan in Utah
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07/07/2010 Want to reduce global warming - save a sea otter! New report says that they are worth $700m in carbon credits!
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05/07/2010 River otters recovering in Illinois
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03/07/2010 Funding boost to help otters in north-east England
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02/07/2010 €130,000 to be spent on new Irish otter survey
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01/07/2010 Otters killed in poachers' net in River Tweed
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30/06/2010 Sea otter shot dead in California
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30/06/2010 Otters in southern Chile halt the invasion of mink
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25/06/2010 Otters benefit from new flood defences in Northumberland
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24/06/2010 Research teams study health and foraging habits of sea otters in Canada
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22/06/2010 Otter filmed swimming through fish pass in Monmouthshire
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21/06/2010 Otter seen in Indian city centre
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16/06/2010 Indiana reintroduction projects is successful
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15/06/2010 Project underway to count sea otters in Alaska
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11/06/2010 Otters in Northumberland. Please don't believe that otter numbers have increased from about 350 to 5,000 in 15 years - it simply isn't possible.
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10/06/2010 Alaskan airport poses a threat to otters
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06/06/2010 Otter skin found in fur haul in India
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05/06/2010 Can otters smell underwater?
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28/05/2010 Two otters die in illegal nets in Yorkshire
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27/05/2010 Otter that survived the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska dies aged 21
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27/05/2010 Japanese sea otters charm tourists but annoy fishermen
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26/05/2010 Meet Fyne, the new otter at our Skye sanctuary.
click here
If you follow the link to "otterly rescue" you will see more pictures of Ron
26/05/2010 Utah river otter relocation project
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21/05/2010 Was the washed up Canadian "monster" an otter?
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11/05/2010 Two albino otters born in Cheshire Zoo
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06/05/2010 Court upholds appeal to re-evaluate "No Otter Zone" in California
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01/05/2010 Otters at risk from oil spill off Louisiana
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29/04/2010 The Labour MP for angling says otters should be removed from the rivers and taken into sanctuaries to help fish stocks!! IOSF has responded but at this time the response has not been printed.
click here
16/04/2010 Give a car and make a difference

If you have an old or scrapped car you can give it to Giveacar and IOSF will receive a donation. For more information go to click here
16/04/2010 Article on Mazu
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03/04/2010 It is now just 26 years after a reintroduction programme brought otters back to West Virginia and yet the State now plans to allow them to be trapped!
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01/04/2010 Environment Agency to investigate effect of otters on river fisheries in England
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31/03/2010 Californian sea otter numbers down for the third year running
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29/03/2010 Slow down on the water for Sea Otters
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20/03/2010 Otters filmed on a lake in Snowdonia, North Wales
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19/03/2010 Memorial planned for Elvis the Otter on Mull
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17/03/2010 River otters on the River Platte, Central Nebraska
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15/03/2010 Positive steps by Anglers as they fence otters out of their ponds
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14/03/2010 Minnesota considering expanding otter trapping
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13/03/2010 Otters in Texas
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05/03/2010 Otter appears on River Lambourn
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05/03/2010 Yesterday we had an email from Ricardo Gonzalo Correa who works for the otter conservation organisation, Chinchimen, in Chile.

Sadly Paula Andrea Ayerdi died as a result of the recent earthquake. She was one of the best volunteers with Chinchimen and studied the life and genetics of the marine otter or seacat. The rest of the team are obviously very upset and we send our best wishes to them and to her friends and family.



In a tribute to Paula and her work, Chinchimen have decided to establish an ANNUAL AWARD TO THE BEST VOLUNTEER.

Chinchimen are caring for a young seacat, Chunguita, seen here.

04/03/2010 Volunteers wanted in Bristol and Gloucestershire

The Gloucestershire Mammal Group need volunteers to help out with otter (and other mammal) surveys. For more information click here
02/03/2010 IOSF helps Congo otter cub
click here
01/03/2010 Guyana bans gold mining in the "Land of the Giants"
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25/02/2010 Sea otters may lose funding from Californian taxes - if you can please do help here.
click here
12/02/2010 Otters in Texas are rare but are making a comeback - so why are they hunted?
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10/02/2010 Otters in Indiana - Only an American would say "the more animals in the freezer the better the population is doing"!!
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10/02/2010 Sea otter relocation programme dubbed a failure
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09/02/2010 Otter holt to be built at "wildlife paradise" in Dorset
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07/02/2010 Otter pelt selling for $110 in Vermont
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06/02/2010 Otters in Durham
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31/01/2010 Pennsylvanian Trappers Association fund otter study!!
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30/01/2010 Hungry sea otters stray into otter no-go area!
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29/01/2010 Fishfarmer in Hampshire calls for otter cull
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28/01/2010 New otter cub transferred to Skye
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28/01/2010 New otter cub transferred to Skye
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24/01/2010 Where male sea otters bond
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24/01/2010 Trapping is "green" claim the Missouri Department of Conservation!!!
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19/01/2010 Otter at Slimbridge enjoys climbing trees!
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19/01/2010 Otters around Wrexham
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19/01/2010 Otters in the Minesota river
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03/01/2010 Otter park being set up in Savoram Biopark in India
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28/12/2009 Artificial holts being built for otters living near the new Bathgate to Airdrie railway line in Central Scotland
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26/12/2009 Steps taken to stop otters being hit on Scottish Highland road between Perth and Inverness
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23/12/2009 American flight delayed by escaped otters!
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22/12/2009 Mother and cub found dead in crayfish trap in Essex
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21/12/2009 Good population of Asian Short-Clawed Otters found in Orissa, India
click here
20/12/2009 Have you seen an otter in Central New York or Humboldt County, California - If so tell the biologists

For Central New York click here

OR

for Humboldt County click here
18/12/2009 Otters appear to be spreading out in Texas
click here
14/12/2009 Warming climate could effect British species such as the otter
click here
08/12/2009 Sea otters are apparently recovering 20 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster. For information on the government report and the status of other species click here
08/12/2009 What price an otter? Wildlife Extra News revealed a horrendous catalogue of animals for sale in Africa including Cape clawless otter for $1200 and spotted necked otter for $1000. click here to read the full list.
07/12/2009 Villagers in India fear otters
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03/12/2009 New "greener" foam for use on jetties will stop otters chewing it to make their homes.
click here
03/12/2009 Otters get a new home at Snape Marshes, Suffolk
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27/11/2009 An otter is introduced to the Middle Provo River, Utah
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20/11/2009 Man pleads guilty to illegal hunting of sea otters.
click here
20/11/2009 Otter rescue filmed in Romania
click here
19/11/2009 UPDATE ON SNARES CAMPAIGN

Yesterday we had an email from Louise Robertson, from the League Against Cruel Sports, with an update on the campaign:

"We finally had some good news yesterday on the snaring campaign. Our petition was discussed by the Petitions Committee and the Committee agreed that the responses it had had from the Government to the questions on snaring had been far from satisfactory. It subsequently decided that the committee would invite Roseanna Cunningham to come along to a Committee meeting and be questioned in person on the issues surrounding snaring.

This is a really positive step forward and was an unexpected move for the Committee to take. We don’t yet know the date for the next hearing but will circulate as soon as we have it."

We will keep you informed.
17/11/2009 Otters breeding at Radipole Lake, Weymouth
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16/11/2009 Yet another otter dies in a snare
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13/11/2009 Young otter dies in dumped duvet
click here

12/11/2009 First wild otter seen in Switzerland
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11/11/2009 Boost for growing otter population in Tyneside
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10/11/2009 More otter skins found in India
click here