Researchers thrilled as trail camera captures rare species after years of absence: 'We are very happy'

Over the last few decades, the Eurasian otter has seen a dramatic decrease in population throughout Asia and Europe. However, in countries like Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, reintroduction projects have given the species new hope.

That reason for optimism was recently captured by trail cameras in Kruibeke, Belgium, in February 2025. The sighting came after the region failed to spot an otter through all of 2024.

Bram Vereecken, a forest ranger for the Agency for Nature and Forests in Belgium, said the otters' massive habitat may have made spotting the species more challenging. "We suspect that is why it took so long before we saw one," Vereecken told VRT News.

"In 2024 we didn't see a single otter, while there are quite a few wildlife cameras set up across the polder. Now there are images of the otter in two different places and on two different days."

Trail and wildlife cameras can play a critical role in aiding conservation efforts by providing workers with visual confirmation of the success of species reintroduction. Oftentimes, species such as otters can be wary of human interaction. By remaining hands-off and utilizing trail cameras, we can help ensure that otters have a fair chance at repopulating.

By the late 1980s, the otter was considered an extinct species in the Netherlands and Flanders. This was due to habitat loss, poor water quality, and overhunting. But thanks to the efforts of conservation initiatives, otters have been reintroduced to large swaths of land to make their new home.

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Polders, or low-lying land reclaimed from a sea or a river and enclosed by dikes, make for the perfect habitat for otters. Primarily found in regions such as the Netherlands and Flanders, polders offer otters plenty of food sources and access to water.

Like many conservation efforts, reintroducing otters to areas in Europe can help promote biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. This goes a long way toward maintaining the viability of our own food chain.

"We are very happy. The otter used to be a permanent guest in our polder, but suddenly disappeared," Vereecken said. "As a symbolic species for this area, it is extra gratifying to be able to welcome it back."

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species?

Definitely 👍