Throughout the 1960s & 1970s otter numbers declined dramatically, thought to be as a result of agricultural chemicals that started to enter the environment in the late 1950s. The chemicals have been increasingly banned from use enabling otter numbers to make a good comeback. In addition, cleaner rivers and a ban on otter hunting are likely to have played their part in the recovery. This otter (probably a male) has climbed out of the water onto a favourite spraint site.