Scottish Otters Live 1/3 As Long As EU Counterparts; Toxins Power Reproductive Treadmill
Scottish otters are only living a third of the lifespan of those on mainland Europe because of poisoned seas, a leading expert on the species has warned. Zoologist Dr Paul Yoxon said chemicals in everyday products are accumulating in fish and shellfish on which the mammals feed, weakening their immune systems.
The zoologist, who runs the International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) on Skye with his biologist wife Grace, said hormone-disrupting chemicals, commonly found in shampoos and plastics, are also believed to be behind shrinking genitals of the male otter, affecting reproduction rates.
Research has shown Scottish otters are living only about five or six years, compared to 15-16 years in Germany and the Czech Republic. Dr Yoxon said: The problem is that our otters are not living long enough to significantly
expand the population further.
If you consider that a female in Scotland does not become sexually mature until she is 18 months, and has on average two cubs only one of whom will survive to adulthood and she is with them for 13-14 months, she will only have two litters in her short lifetime. That is much less than those on the Continent where they have cleaned up their industrial pollution much better. Because otters in Scotland are not living past 5-6 years on average, there is a serious problem. Toxicology tests have shown that they have accumulated high levels of cadmium and mercury in their bodies from the fish they eat.
EDIT
http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/otters-dying-early-because-of-poisoned-seas-1-3570722