Otter road signs urge motorists to slow down

Signs have been put up in north Devon warning motorists to slow down for otters.

The UK Wild Otter Trust said "countless" otters were killed and seriously injured on roads nationwide each year.

As part of its Slow Down for Otters campaign the charity, based in north Devon, has raised money to pay for road signs.

So far, two signs have been put up on the A361 from Barnstaple to Braunton which charity founder, Dave Webb, said was "an accident blackspot for otters". The charity hopes to install more signs when funds are raised.

The trust said in recent years along the A361 "at least 15 to 17 otters have been killed".

Mr Webb said the signs "were quite unusual... so hopefully they do a bit of good".

He said £1,500 had been raised in 22 hours to help pay for them.

Mr Webb said the trust had seen "an increase in smaller cubs, due to mothers being killed on roads".

He said so far in 2024, 33 otters from across the UK had been taken to the trust.

Mr Webb added the otters would remain there for about a year due to the amount of care they would need before being released.

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