Abstract:
The aim of this survey was to assess the current presence of otter along the River Dee, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, through a series of spot-checks for field signs indicating otter activity along the riverbanks carried out from its upper reaches at the White Bridge in the Forest of Mar down to the coast at Greg Ness (approximately 125km). Spraint sites were the most abundant field signs observed along the course of the River Dee, with a total of 208 spraint sites found, the majority of which consisted of fresh or recent spraints (n = 162; 77.9%). The fresh or recently deposited spraints were found throughout upper, mid and lower regions of the River Dee surveyed. Both in situ and laboratory-based spraint analysis was performed to give an index of the diet of otters utilising the River Dee. The Salmonids (Salmon and Trout species) were the dominant prey item observed in the spraints along the River Dee but mammal remains were the dominant prey item found in spraints on the tributaries of the River Dee. Eel (Anguilla anguilla) remains were more prevalent than salmonids from spraints on the tributaries. Mammal remains were the most frequent non-fish items found in all spraints observed in this survey. Other non-fish items included bird, amphibian and crab remains.
