Anglian Water is using Facebook to carry out a region-wide otter survey.

The company funds a network of almost 50 voluntary RiverCare groups each of which is given support to adopt and look after a local stretch of river. 

Run by the charity Keep Britain Tidy, the RiverCare scheme has created a small army of volunteers, which Anglian Water hopes can help it record where otters can be found in its region. 

The survey is being run through RiverCare’s new Facebook page, allowing volunteers – and anyone else who wants to take part - to post their findings online. All the information gathered will be shared with the region’s Wildlife Trusts and used to guide future conservation efforts. 

Otters suffered huge declines in the 1950s and 60s due to pollution, habitat loss and poisoning owing to the widespread use of organochlorine pesticides such as the now banned DDT. Many were also killed on the roads. 

Lisa Taylor, Environmental Performance Scientist at Anglian Water said:

“We are all very excited at the thought of what this survey might show up. 

“RiverCare has been running for more than 10 years now, but the Facebook page is a new development. We think it has the potential to bring all the RiverCare groups together, sharing their experiences. 

“Anglian Water has its own Biodiversity Action Plan to help species found on our sites. Otters and water voles are among the animals we want to help and surveys like this are a great starting point; we need to know where they are and where they are absent. 

"If this goes well then we plan to do similar surveys for other species. They have the potential to make an important contribution to our knowledge of the most vulnerable plants and animals.”