IOSF World Otter Day takes place on the last Wednesday in May each year. The day was established by IOSF to help draw attention to otters, celebrate them, and raise awareness and support for their conservation globally. The aim is to put otters on the map, and at the forefront of people’s mind!

World Otter Day 2024 is on its way and each year we have events all around the world and we would love for you to be one of those this year! If you have anything planned, such as awareness, research or anything else you may find enjoyable, let us know and we can add it to the World Otter Day map. We would also be happy to offer advice and materials. Hit the button below to get in touch.

Social Media

Social media is such a great way for us to get the message of otters across to millions of people! Each year, we trend across the world with plenty of engagement between people and organisations. Perhaps you may struggle to run an event, but post on social media, share IOSF posts and help otters to take over the online world for the day!

Use #WorldOtterDay

Tag IOSF pages so we can see what all your amazing posts!

IOSF
World Otter Day
Grants

Each year we offer three grants of £100 for small World Otter Day events and accept applications for these. 

Along with an anonymous donation we were pleased to be able to offer a fourth grant in 2024.

Read about the IOSF World Otter Day 2024 Grants:

  • Giridhar Malla, and his team will host a multifaceted strategy focused event engaging local fishing communities in the protection of smooth-coated otters and their crucial habitats along the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, India. They will organise school awareness campaigns and meetings with the fishing communities to highlight the significance of preserving the riverine habitats, which are integral for the smooth-coated otters' foraging activities. By collaborating with local communities, the project will instil a sense of responsibility and ownership among residents, empowering them to actively contribute to the protection of the Krishna riverine ecosystems. Through these efforts, the event aims to inspire a sense of collective responsibility and active participation among community members. This heightened awareness will serve as a catalyst for positive change, fostering a community that is not only aware of the threats faced by the otters and their habitats but is also actively committed to their conservation. Moreover, the event aspires to build a lasting connection between the local population and the conservation cause. By creating opportunities for community involvement, the event will transform passive awareness into tangible actions. This shift in attitude and behaviour within the community will contribute significantly to the overarching goal of securing a sustainable future for the smooth-coated otters and their critical riverine habitats.

  • This event will focus on awareness. Che Gilbert Ayunwi will organise three radio programmes to raise awareness of the presence of the Congo clawless otter in Cameroon and the need to protect and conserve the species. He will create a poster that will be used at the Ministry of Forestry to raise awareness of the otters presence, and World Otter Day itself. Furthermore, he will have a focus on children where he will visit multiple schools, encourage drawing and artwork and aims to reach out to approximately 500 children, and 300 community members, during the first event to be held in Cameroon.

  • This event will focus on children. They plan to create a colouring book with information on otters, which will be delivered during visits to local schools. This will help raise awareness about the ecological role of otters, as well as generate respect for these animals and prevent them from being seen as possible pets.

  • Miguel, who attended the IOSF Central America Workshop, is going to create informative canvases that will be distributed to local schools, who have already been working on otter conservation. During the event they will also host activities and education workshops with some of these schools. Finally, the event will encourage young local people to visit the local river and help with a clean up of the otters favourite habitat. They wish to share their love of otters, and hope that the clean up day will hope draw focus to an issue that is having a major impact on local wildlife, and help create future conservationists.

We are no longer accepting applications for IOSF World Otter Day Grants

IOSF World Otter Day 2023

What another fantastic World Otter Day - and a huge THANK YOU to all of those who got involved. 

We were inundated on social media with otters everywhere – the best day! From social media posts to events in 40 different countries, the effort was massive. 

We have put a summary of many of the events which took place this year in our June newsletter.

Each year, IOSF holds a World Otter Day webinar involving otter experts and enthusiasts from across the world.

The webinar is split in to two sections, a morning and evening session, to allow people from all across the world to join. During the 2023 webinar sessions we had attendees registered from 45 countries!

If you are interested in the World Otter Day 2024 webinar, then please click this link for more information on speakers, and sign up!

World Otter Day Webinar

You can view all previous World Otter Day webinar videos here, together with all other IOSF videos. Don’t forget to ‘Subscribe’ to our channel

2024 Webinar Speakers

Previous Years

World Otter Day Raffle

Our #WorldOtterDay Raffle this year closes on 3rd June 2024. The draw will take place on Friday 7th June and winners will be notified by email and announced on social media.

Big thanks go to our prize donors, whose contributions help make this a great event:

Perkins & Morley

Isle of Skye Candle Company

Talisker Distillery

Sea Change Wine

CLICK HERE to take part. Please do not gift aid if you want to receive a ticket number.

Ways to help otters

Learn more about what you can do to help otters, both at World Otter Day and other times of the year!

©Tony Goy Photography