Return of the otter: Aggravation of human-wildlife conflicts and potential for mitigation strategies for coastal areas under pressure
Informations
- Funding country
Norway- Acronym
- -
- URL
- -
- Start date
- 1/1/2023
- End date
- 12/31/2027
- Budget
- 1,721,877 EUR
Fundings
| Name | Role | Start | End | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MILJØFORSK - Environmental Research for a Green Transition | Grant | - | - | 1,721,877 EUR |
Abstract
The Eurasian otter was once extirpated from most of Norway due to hunting, but after being protected it has recently made a comeback in Western Norway. This has reignited a classic human-wildlife conflict, which often occurs when humans and predators compete for the same resources. In this case, otters and fishers both target the prized and endangered Atlantic salmon, whose numbers in many rivers have been dwindling as the coastal ecosystems have come under increasing pressure from human activities. Otters also meddle in the affairs of local industry, eating salmon in fish farms and trespassing in places like airports and public buildings. Some local stakeholders now ask for decisive management action, including culling of otters. However, it is not clear how, where, and when otters actually affect salmon stocks, how various stakeholders view the conflict, or what potential mitigation measures would be effective and acceptable to both stakeholders, wildlife management agencies, and the regional population in general. In the RePress project, we seek to investigate and alleviate the otter-human conflict in the region Sunnmøre in Western Norway. We will quantify otter predation in time and space by tagging salmon with radio tags, and simultaneously tag otters to reveal their behaviour and feeding habits along the rivers. Stakeholder and management perceptions of otters, salmon, and "acceptable" management of coastal ecosystems will be explored through surveys, interviews and local focus groups. Finally, the possibility of scaring otters away from conflict hotspots will be investigated by testing various deterrents along rivers, in a zoo and on aquaculture facilities. Combined, the findings will increase our knowledge of otters and salmon, and how to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts in general.