Otters given help to cross West Sussex road
A new 'shelf'' has been installed to help the county's breeding population
Otters are being given help to cross the A272 in West Sussex safely with the installation of a new 'mammal shelf'.
The area is home to one of the county's only breeding populations this autumn.
It has been claimed that a lack of otters in the area in decades past has partly been down to road casualties stemming from having to cross the busy highway.
Rather than swimming under bridges or through culverts, otters will often choose to travel on foot, resulting in them crossing roads to reach breeding grounds.
The specially designed mammal shelf will allow otters to run safely under the road on a ledge above the water.
The project is a collaboration between West Sussex County Council, the National Trust and the Arun and Rother Rivers Trust.
Cllr Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said:
"It's fantastic to see these magnificent animals making a comeback in West Sussex, and we’re extremely proud to have helped ensure the growth of a sustainable otter population with this new mammal shelf.
"The resurgence of the otter in the UK is a huge conservation achievement after populations declined dramatically between the 1950s and 1970s.
"Cleaner rivers and healthier habitats have seen otter populations bounce back in recent years, however, one of the main dangers facing otters today are busy roads.
"Reducing the number of otter road casualties will ensure the successful return of this native mammal to West Sussex waterways.”