World Otter Day was started by the International Otter Survival Fund, their goal being to raise awareness of the plights of otters all around the world. The IOSF writes:

The aim of the day is to draw attention to the 13 species of otter - ALL of them are listed in the IUCN Red List. This includes the Eurasian otter which is found in Europe, Asia and North Africa. It is often assumed that this species is doing well as it is beginning to recover in parts of Europe but we know almost nothing about it in the rest of its vast range.

So we need to draw attention to the threats to otters - habitat loss, hunting, illegal trade for furs and pets.

There are #WorldOtterDay events being held all around the world today - click here to see if there's one near you!

Photo by parus_mnr