Photos: rare otters captured in south of France using nocturnal camera

Otters have been spotted in the Gard and Hérault departments decades after they disappeared from the area thanks to an enterprising wildlife photographer.

Yann Raulet captured the secretive creatures using a specially designed camera.

The otter suffered a serious decline in France during the 20th Century, and was effectively wiped out of many regions, partly down to being hunted for fur. By the 1980s it was only found around the Massif Central.

But recolonisation and protection efforts have seen the species slowly return to several regions.

“I’m delighted to see the species gradually recolonising the territories from which it once disappeared,” said Mr Raulet.

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Special camera

“We now have more and more information about its presence here in France, and also in Hérault and Gard. The protection of the species and a better management of aquatic environments are two of the factors behind this success.”

Mr Rault designed a special camera to help him capture animals without him needing to camp out.

“I’m particularly interested in nocturnal mammals, but was frustrated at not being able to photograph them at night,” he said.

Otters are usually nocturnal and feed at dawn and dusk.

He researched camera techniques and turned his camera into a trap, using an infrared barrier, connected to the camera.

“When the animal crosses the infrared beam, it triggers the camera. At the same time the camera produces one to three flashes to light up simultaneously.”

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Risky business

It is a difficult technique to implement, Mr Raulet says. The settings and the animal’s trajectory must be anticipated, and there have been many times when he eagerly checked his camera, only to find blurred animals or a leaf blowing across the frame.

“You also have to leave the device in the wild and hope that it won’t be stolen or destroyed by a flood for example,” he said.

The camera works for several days, and Mr Raulet tends to check it every week.

He started experimenting with the camera a few years ago and photographed wild boar, weasels, foxes and genets, then decided to “take on a bigger challenge” with otters.

He snapped the otters on the river Lez, north of Montpellier. “My preferred area is less than 5km from home which is good for the carbon footprint!” he said.

Before setting up his camera, he had to find where exactly the otters were located. He tracked them for several weeks, looking for clues. “The main clue left by otters is their dung (spraint), but to find them I have to wander along the sometimes difficult-to-reach riverbanks.”

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Persistence pays off

It took him several weeks to get his first nocturnal otter photo and “it wasn’t a success”, but persistence paid off.

“After four months, I had the first picture of a Lez otter! It happened in April 2023. Since then, I’ve continued, but today I‘ve only taken a dozen successful otter photos.”

And his next challenge? Capturing the secretive creatures during the day.

“It is my dream and I’m going to persevere to make it come true.”

Check out Yann Raulet’s photographs in his online portfolio.