Dwyryd Otter Survey

How many otters are there on the Dwyryd? Whereabouts are they? What is the ratio of males to females? To help build on existing knowledge and gain a fuller picture there will be a weekend survey between 17^th to 19^th May organised by Ceri Morris through the MISE project - Mammals In a Sustainable Environment.

In addition to the weekend survey, which hopefully will involve at least twenty people, there is a requirement for local volunteers to 'spot check' key sites over the course of one year. All you need to be able to do is identify and collect otter spraints (poo), put them in a bag, freeze them and send to Ireland (Waterford Institute of Technology) for DNA analysis.

This builds on the work that the Dwyryd Otter Partnership and subsequently Snowdonia Mammal Group undertook a few years ago. An analysis of spraints showed amongst other things that otters feasting on seafood could travel all the way to Trawsfynydd before having to poo.

If you would like to take part please contact Ceri Morris by email at: c.morris@ccw.gov.uk

Meanwhile here’s a film clip of some Dwyryd otters in 2011.

The Lord Lucan of Welsh mammals found squashed on road by Newtown

As one of the many people who have spent countless hours scouring the Welsh countryside for evidence of pine martens I’m not sure what I feel about the news that a young male has been found squashed on the road at Aberhafesp, just outside Newtown, Powys. On the one hand it’s reassuring to know they are still about and not just as memories or imagination. On the other hand it’s a shame that such a rare creature should be mown down by a driver.

This is the first specimen to be found in Wales since 1971 and the only other concrete proof in recent years has been a pine marten scat from the Vale of Rheidol in 2007.

There’s a report about the recent finding on Country Focus (Radio Wales, 11^th November) which will be on the iPlayer until 18^th November. If you want to get involved in the great pine marten hunt you should contact The VincentWildlife Trust. If you want to see what a pine marten looks like, or learn more about the scat survey methodology, here’s a (rather long-winded, sorry) film clip: