Help to Protect and Conserve Otters Around the World by Voting for the International Otter Survival Fund

Posted on 05 Jun 2023 by Emily Atkinson-Dalton
The International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) is one of the three fantastic charities taking part in the Discount Promo Codes charity poll this April. You can cast your free vote to support the care, protection and conservation of otters around the world, and help this near threatened species to thrive in their habitats. Find out more about the work of IOSF below, and see how your vote can change the lives of beautiful otters in the UK and beyond.

international otter survival fund

 

What Does the International Otter Survival Fund Do?


The International Otter Survival Fund is dedicated to helping otters in the UK and around the world to thrive in their natural habitat. Inspired by observing these incredible creatures in the wild, IOSF was created to protect the 14 otter species which live around the world and are a vital part of several environments and ecosystems which impact all species. They work alongside and are partnered with other organisations whose primary concern is protecting otters living in the wild as well as those in captivity, which includes combating the high prevalence of wildlife crime which often involves otters.

 

How Do IOSF Help Otters?


Since 1993, The International Otter Survival Fund has been involved in otter conservation in over 100 several countries and continents around the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America, America and Canada. They do this in by conducting four main project types, including: EDUCATION AND TRAINING

IOSF works on 4 main aspects to educate and train people on otter conservation:

• World Otter Day – a day to celebrate otters!

• International training workshops. IOSF has held international workshops training new otter workers across Asia, Africa, Central and South America.

• Team Otter: Our children’s education programme

• Human-otter conflict management

RESEARCH

We work in the UK, and globally, to research otter threats, populations, distribution etc. We have worked on factors such as reducing road deaths and increasing habitat preservation.

REDUCING TRADE

Otters are hunted for a variety of reasons - fur, pets and even traditional medicine. Such trade is clearly having a drastic effect on otter populations and it needs to stop! Otters are traded both illegally, with a focus on SE Asia, and legally, across North America.

REHAB AND RELEASE

Finally, our rehabilitation and release centre on the Isle of Skye where we rehabilitate otters in need back to the wild. We have cared for over 260 otters and have also placed ourselves as one of the world’s leading experts in otter rehabilitation and are regularly contacted about otters around the world, including SE Asia, Nigeria and Peru.

 

What Species of Otter Are There?


This time last year, we would have said there were 13 species, but a study has found that the “Neotropical otter” that was believed to be found in central and south America is now two species, the Neotropical otter and the Mesoamerican otter.

The Neotropical otter occupies much of South America, south of the Andes; whereas the Mesoamerican otter occupies central America, and northern Colombia and Venezuela. Now, there are 14 otter species including the Eurasian otter, Sea otter, Giant otter, Southern river otter and several more. A complete list of otter species can be found here, where you can also find out more about where each species is found and what threats they are currently facing.

Otters are members of the mustelid family, which also includes badgers, weasels, mink and martens. They have existed, to some degree, for over 30 million years, with animals resembling otters adapting to their environment over the years to become the animals we know today.

 

Why is Otter Conservation and Protection Important?


Otters are unique, inquisitive, playful and beautiful creatures who are currently under threat. The 14 species of otter that currently exist globally are all in the Red List of Threatened Species (bar the newly found Mesoamerican otter which is yet to be classified), and are vulnerable to further decline and even extinction. This would be catastrophic as not only would we be losing an incredible species, but a species which is vital to ecosystems around the globe.

The wetlands are full of biodiversity and are heavily relied upon economically, and otters are a top predator in this valuable environment, however due to threats such as habitat loss, pollution, roads, human interference, fisheries, trapping and illegal pet and fur trade otters have become increasingly vulnerable. Without otters, local food webs, wetland habitats and biodiversity are at great risk of collapse.

Some activities impacting otters include otter culls, in North America over tens of thousands of otters are legally killed by trapping and the illegal fur and pet trade has led to otters being hunted in Asian countries. Through the International Otter Survival Fund and the organisations that they work with, otters can have someone to fight for their conservation and protection, ensuring that we do not see the end of these incredible creatures and the destruction of the natural world.

 

How Can I Support the International Otter Survival Fund?


This April you can support the IOSF right now, for free by voting for them in our April charity poll!

  • Simply visit our Homepage and scroll down until you see the charity poll on the right hand side (or at the bottom of the page on mobile).

  • Vote for The International Otter Survival Fund and you can help them win a donation of 20% of our profits!


You can also support them through Donating to IOSF, or even Adopting your own otter! Perfect as a gift or for yourself, adopting an otter means that you can support otter conservation whilst getting an adoption pack full of otter-related gift from toys to posters.

You can also find a variety of small, everyday ways to give on their Ways to Give page. If you are in the market for otter related items or want to get the perfect gift for an otter fan, then you can always visit the Otter Shop and support IOSF by purchasing a great gift.

 

How Can I Contact the International Otter Survival Fund?


If you want to get in touch with the IOSF team then you have a few different ways you can do so. Send them an email at [email protected] or give them a call on 01471 822 487. You can also pop them a message via their Contact page. You can find out more about otters and the work of the International Otter Survival Fund by visiting their website. If the International Otter Survival Fund get your vote, then don’t forget to support them in our charity poll this April. You have the power to help otters all over the world, and conserve

this incredible species in just 2 clicks of a mouse. Share the poll with friends and family, and let them know about the importance of otters and how they can help by voting for the International Otter Survival Fund.

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