Young people can learn about otters and the importance of conserving them at Lake Skadar

The NGO Green Home held a training session at Lake Skadar, educating young people and locals about otter conservation as part of the transboundary BESTbelt project “Improving the status of the otter and its habitat in the Skadar Lake National Park area“. The session highlighted the threats to otters, their ecological roles, and the use of citizen science tools to monitor endangered species and protect freshwater habitats.

Monitoring otters. © Tea Tanjević
Workshop on otters, their ecological importance and their monitoring. © Nina Mihailovic
Illustrated brochure about otters. © Bjanka Prkljačić

On 23 May 2025, Green Home hosted an educational training event at the Vranjina Centre in the Skadar Lake National Park, Montenegro, focusing on the conservation of endangered species and shining the spotlight on otters (Lutra lutra). Designed for local young people, students and emerging researchers, the event examined the main threats to otter populations and ways in which communities can actively protect biodiversity.

The otter is recognised as a vital indicator of healthy aquatic ecosystems. It thrives in clean waterways thanks to its streamlined body, webbed feet and remarkably dense, waterproof fur. As a top predator, the otter plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance by regulating fish and amphibian populations. However, despite its importance to ecosystem health, otters face mounting threats in Montenegro, particularly in the Skadar Lake basin, where habitat loss, pollution and human disturbance are widespread. The otter  is currently listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

The training emphasised citizen science, introducing the iMammalia app to empower participants to monitor wildlife. Participants also took part in a cross-border otter activity study spanning Montenegro and Albania, gaining hands-on experience with field research tools.

 

This initiative is part of the project “Improving the status of Lutra lutra and their habitat in cross-border area of National Park Skadar Lake” implemented by Green Home together with Wildlife Montenegro and PPNEA from Albania from October 2024 to September 2025, which is , funded by BESTbelt.

 

If you would like to hear more about the project, please feel free to reach out to:

Azra Vuković (Executive Director NGO Green Home): greenhome(at)greenhome.co.me