Research project
What do otter calls tell us?
Otters are extremely difficult to observe in the wild. Researchers are therefore investigating whether they can identify individual animals and draw conclusions about them based on audio recordings.
The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a protected species that is slowly recolonizing parts of its original range in Europe. As an indicator of healthy wetlands and freshwater ecosystems, monitoring wild otter populations is particularly important for their conservation. However, researching these shy and predominantly nocturnal animals is a challenge.
Researchers at the University of Zurich are investigating whether the vocalizations of otters can provide information about individual animals, such as their age, sex, or identity. Several zoos in Switzerland and France, including the Zoo Zurich, are collaborating on this research.
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What kind of information do otters communicate through their calls?
Autonomous microphones continuously record the vocalizations of otters, especially at night, when the animals are most active. By analyzing these recordings, the research team is investigating which characteristics of the calls differ among individual animals and what they can tell us about the animals that produce them.
Researchers use devices like these to track down otter calls.
Microphones like the one pictured here record the calls of otters. It sounds something like this, for example:
In the long term, these findings could help researchers monitor wild otters using microphone networks. This would allow researchers to determine, in a non-invasive way, how many otters are present in an area and learn more about them without having to capture or disturb them.
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