Have you ever been so lucky as to spot an otter out in the wild? Your sighting can help vital marine and freshwater research in South Africa!
Pretoria, South Africa (14 October 2026) – The South African Otter Spotters would be otter-ly grateful if you could share your sightings!
Researchers are calling on citizens across the country to help collect data on otter distribution in South Africa for an exciting postdoctoral research project based at the Mammal Research Institute of the University of Pretoria.
Whether you have fresh photos from a recent sighting or old memories of seeing these sweet creatures somewhere out in the wilds of SA, every submission will help scientists better understand where otters are thriving and where conservation efforts need to be focused.
South Africa is home to two main otter species. We have the African clawless otter (also known as the Cape clawless otter), which is widely distributed across both freshwater and coastal areas, and the spotted-necked otter, a smaller species restricted to permanent freshwater lakes and rivers in the northern and eastern regions.
Submitting a sighting is quick and easy using the dedicated web-app. When filling out the South African Otter Spotters reporting form, participants are asked to provide information on species identification, the date of the sighting, province, specific location, total count, group composition, weather conditions, habitat type, and primary behaviour observed. The web-app also allows for media uploads and any additional ‘interesting’ notes.
None of your personal information is required to participate in the study, and you retain full control over your involvement at all times. To aid in geographical and demographic analysis, you will be encouraged to share optional details like your age group, home province or country, along with an email address if you wish to receive updates on the project’s discoveries.
For any additional details, media files, or large photos that might be too big to upload through the web-app, you can reach out directly to the South African Otter Spotters team. Find their details here.
Be sure to share their web-app and poster far and wide so more can be learned about our precious otters!
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