Live otter spotted in Randstad

It seems the otter is making a strong comeback in Randstad. Environment watchdog Natuurmonumenten said today that its cameras have spotted one in Groene Hart, which bodes well for the animal’s numbers in the Randstad area. After one was found dead on the A12 a few weeks ago, the organization feared the worst. Game inspector Martijn van Schie called the sighting of the otter in Groene Hart “fantastic news.” “The otter that was killed on the A12 and the footage of this living specimen show that the animal is making a careful comeback in Groene Hart,” Van Schie said. A sparsely populated area in the Dutch Randstad, Groene Hart has a rural character which contrasts the urban areas around it. With its many wet meadows and marshland, it attracts many animal species. Since 2003 government established policy that only allows limited construction by the larger cities on its edge. Otters were declared extinct in the Netherlands some 25 years ago, but in 2012 the predator was given a new chance here when animals were released in the wild. They are regularly spotted, but they often do not survive the vehicular traffic in the Randstad area. Van Schie said Government should construct tunnels under the roads so the animals can cross safely. Natuurmonumenten is discussing this matter with the Zuid Holland province.