From the image of an otter on the banks and mouth of the Llobregat River in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, it is very likely that these small mammals have returned to the area.
And it is striking because they disappeared from the rivers a few decades ago.
They are excellent swimmers, intelligent and very demanding when choosing the habitat where they live, which makes them the best indicator to measure the environmental quality of their surroundings.
Otters at the mouth of the Llobregat river
After their disappearance from this area, otters have only been seen on very few occasions. In fact, in the Llobregat River in the area of Castellbisbal was the last time a specimen was seen in February 2020.
Even around the same time, in the Besòs river, the presence of some specimens was also observed.
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Their official name is Lutrinae and they belong to the mustelidae family. They were removed from the rivers due to the contamination of these water sources around the 1990s.
However, since 1973 the alert was launched because it was considered an endangered species and was declared a protected species by the Spanish State.
Otters are semi-aquatic carnivorous mammals that live in lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands.
Because they are so demanding on environmental conditions, they are considered “bioindicators” of river systems.
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Its reappearance this year is the best indicator that the river has good ecological connectivity. In other words, there are natural corridors that species use to move freely.
