An otter is roaming in the Tourtoulen woods!
These fresh footprints were spotted by our teams on the banks of the Rhône, in the Tourtoulen woods, the day after the floods. This site, owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral and managed by the Tour du Valat, is the largest remaining riparian forest in the Camargue. These typical footprints belong to the European otter, a semi-aquatic carnivore that lives alongside rivers and streams, as well as in various types of wetlands.
We’ve known for around ten years now that this species has returned to the Camargue, after being hunted out in the middle of the last century. But this small carnivorous mammal knows how to be discreet during the recolonisation phase, leaving few signs of its presence.
Having been spotted in various places in the delta in recent years (Marais du Vigueirat, EMSC, Grande Cabane du Vaccarès, Mahistre….), we now know that the otter also frequents the riparian zone of the Tourtoulen woods!
The otter’s return is good news for wetlands: it indicates that this predator finds plenty of prey (fish, crayfish, etc.) and signals the good health of these environments.
