In May 1969 we published the Mammal Society's report on the status of otters in Britain. This was based on figures supplied by otter hunts covering a large part, but not all, of England and southern Scotland. This second report, based on data collected in the same way, was compiled by Professor H. R. Hewer, who fortunately had completed this draft before his untimely death last February. Unfortunately, one hunt, in the north-east, was unable to supply any comparable figures, but for the areas covered—see the map opposite—this second report provides a valuable comparison. It shows that in some counties, in the four years 1968–71, otters have held their own or increased slightly, but in the Midlands especially the decline continues, and the otter can truthfully be described as a locally endangered species.