 Otters, Lutra lutra, historically existed over most of the UK. They can be found on estuaries and open shores, but they do rely on being close to fresh water for the majority of their food, to wash salt water from their fur and to provide suitable habitat for resting and building holts. They have a varied diet including salmonid fish, crayfish, eels, toads and young birds. Persecution, habitat loss and drainage and pollution of waterways led to a drastic decline of otter numbers during the 1950s and 60s. At present the UK otter population, important for its genetic diversity, has made a marked increase since the mid 1980s due to water pollution controls and favourable land management methods.
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 Distribution of spraint (droppings) records and reported sightings show that otters are frequent throughout the site, both on the open coast and in the Milford Haven waterway. They are most frequent at places where there is good access to the sea, sufficient tree and scrub cover, near streams where salt water can be washed off, and good feeding locations such as rock pools. |
