HEALTH-STATUS OF OTTERS (LUTRA-LUTRA) IN SOUTH-WEST ENGLAND BASED ON POSTMORTEM FINDINGS

Seventy-seven wild otters found dead in south-west England between 198 8 and 1996 were examined postmortem. Road traffic accidents were respo nsible for 64 of the deaths and there were marked seasonal peaks. Bite wounds were present in 12 animals and five were considered to have di ed from their injuries. The animals' general nutritional state was goo d, but the males were in overall poorer condition than the females. Th ere was little evidence of infectious disease and the results suggeste d a young, generally healthy population. Adrenal hypertrophy was obser ved in males dying of bite wounds and in lactating or pregnant females . Convoluted, modular uteri were observed in three females.