People across the region are being asked to take part in a survey on otters in Ireland.
The survey's been launched in recent days by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in tandem with Queens in Belfast, and the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
The last survey was carried out over 12 years ago and the new information is needed to compare numbers and ascertain the health of the current otter population.
Members of the public are being asked to keep their eyes peeled for otters and to get involved by adding their sighting on a special website.
Dr Ferdia Marnell who's a mammal specialist with the NPWS says the best way to find out if otters are in an area is to look for their footprints, or droppings….
Members of the public can learn more about otters and submit recordings of otter sightings at the National Biodiversity Data Centre's dedicated web page:
https://biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/national-otter-survey/
