Otters in Dumfries and Galloway

It’s thought that Dumfries and Galloway has the largest population of Otters in mainland Scotland.  The best time of day for seeing these shy mammals is dawn and dusk, but it’s not uncommon to hear of people spotting them on their lunch break in Dumfries Town Centre.  Keep your eyes on the weir on the River Nith as this is where they play.

Other good sites for Otter are:

Inland

• Castle Loch Local Nature Reserve Bird Hide, near Lochmaben
• Wood of Cree, near Newton Stewart – Viewing platform at the start of the walk
• Almost any riverside walk could produce an otter, look for the signs, tracks in the mud or spraints on prominent rocks

Coastal

• All along the Coast line of Dumfries and Galloway