VISITORS and residents in and around Ilkley are being asked to keep an eye out for otters.

A new poster campaign by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Otters and Rivers Project will ask members of the public to report otter sightings in the area so that accurate records can be made.

Sylvia Jay, otters and rivers project officer for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: "The aim is simple. We want reports of otter sightings as soon as possible so that we can go straight out and verify the records.

"The result will be that we know where otters are and where they are not. We will then be able to target our habitat improvement work better."

The project builds artificial holts, fences off river banks and plants trees to create an environment where otters can thrive.

"We will also be able to examine why otters are absent from a particular area - is it too much disturbance for resting and breeding, or are fish populations so poor, for example," said Ms Jay.

Otters are shy creatures but small populations exist on the River Wharfe so chance sightings are always possible.

People should ring the Project on (0113) 2781724 if they think they have seen an otter in the river.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Otters and Rivers Project, currently sponsored by Yorkshire Water, has been operating for more than eight years. In addition to building up a detailed picture of otter populations and distributions the Trust works with other groups and landowners to develop habitats along watercourses so that otters can re-colonise the area naturally.

Project workers will distribute the posters to Ilkley Tourist Information Centre, Ilkley Library and other places in the town so that everyone visiting or living in the area is likely to see one.

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