Otter Discovered in Saksfjed Wilderness

For the first time, a wildlife camera has captured an otter in Saksfjed Wilderness on southern Lolland—an area where the species has been absent for decades.

There was great excitement among the biologists at Saksfjed Wilderness when a wildlife camera in the vast natural area revealed the distinctive silhouette of an otter.

Otters are a rare sight in Denmark, and even more so on Lolland, where they have only been recorded a handful of times near Sakskøbing River. Forty years ago, the Danish otter population was estimated at only around 200 individuals, but today, their numbers are thankfully increasing, especially in Jutland and on Funen.

A Safe Haven for Rare and Threatened Species

Saksfjed Wilderness is a restored natural area owned by the Hempel Foundation. It consists of nearly 800 hectares of former forest and agricultural land, which was transformed into wild nature after its acquisition in 2022. Since then, the area has provided a haven for numerous rare and threatened species—and now, the otter as well.

Part of the initiative involves monitoring and documenting natural processes in the area using wildlife cameras. This monitoring is what has confirmed with certainty that otters have found their way to southern Lolland.

The camera was positioned near a badger sett, which regularly records visits from badgers, foxes, pine martens, hares, and striped field mice. Whether the otter was searching for a permanent home remains unknown, but even if the badger's burrow is occupied, there is plenty of space in the surrounding habitat.