Autumnwatch: Making an otter holt

Autumnwatch: Making an otter holt

The Autumnwatch team have been to visit some of the many conservation projects taking place in the UK that offer ways for us to get more involved in nature.

An otter holt put together by the team was designed and made by a Cambridgeshire company.

Filcris specialise in using recycled plastic materials as alternatives to wood, concrete or steel.

The plastic holts are light, durable and easier to set up than those made from concrete or natural materials.

Fit for a family

Once installed, the plastic holts are covered over, leaving a natural-looking home fit for an otter.

Otters are semi-aquatic mammals and live in holts around water edges

It was in one of these manmade holts that otter pups were born and filmed during the BBC's Springwatch series.

In the future it is hoped that data-loggers and camera equipment can be incorporated into the design of the holts, enabling scientists and conservation specialists to better monitor the habits of these elusive creatures.

As well as otter holts, Filcris has also designed tern nesting rafts for the RSPB's Fen Drayton Lakes and boardwalks used by Cambridge-based British Antarctic Survey on Bird Island, allowing scientists to continue their research with minimal environmental impact.