%X Wildlife management is increasingly important to environmental planning as human
development continues at the same time the need to protect endangered wildlife drastically
rises. As the threatened Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) population redistributes across the
German state of Lower Saxony after decades of conservation efforts, damage caused by
otter predation on fishponds is becoming increasingly common. How to deal with the
problem has created conflict between fishpond farmers who have to live with the damage
otters cause and the conservationists and government who want to protect the species.
Through a document analysis and semi-structured interviews, this research looks at how
values, beliefs, and attitudes towards otters influence how otter damage is dealt with in the
federal state. The results indicate that fish farmers, conservationists, and the government
have closely related ideas of what methods should be used to remedy the damages caused
by otters, but the negative beliefs behind the word ‘management’ has caused pause in
finding an agreeable solution. The recommended use of wildlife damage management in the
Lower Saxony helps rid the word ‘management’ of its negative connotations by giving a
voice through participation to fishpond farmers, allowing for transparency and integration
between governmental agencies, while also giving insight towards comprehensive and
adaptable prevention and mitigation techniques.
%A Allison Hoeft
%L theses_frw4056
%D 2022
%T Moving Towards Coexistence with Otters (Lutra lutra) in Lower Saxony