March 23, 2026 – Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting one of Europe’s leading otter experts, Addy de Jongh, who delivered several expert lectures and took part in field activities during his visit.
During his time at Oikon, Addy gave a lecture on the historical overview of otter conservation in the Netherlands, covering its decline, habitat restoration, reintroduction, and its current status. The lecture brought together Oikon experts working in research and nature conservation.
The following day, the visit continued at Plitvice Lakes National Park, where Addy delivered a lecture for the Park’s professional staff. The focus was on exchanging experience in monitoring otter populations and applying new technologies in research. As part of a field visit, Addy and Oikon experts tested an innovative and unique otter tracking device – a GPS tracker with integrated sensors for depth and time spent underwater, enabling more detailed monitoring of otter movement and behaviour in aquatic habitats. The device was developed at Oikon with Addy’s support.
Addy de Jongh is the founder and director of the Dutch Otter Station Foundation and the national representative of the IUCN Otter Specialist Group. During his career, he initiated the otter reintroduction programme in the Netherlands and personally participated in otter captures in Latvia and Belarus. In 2010, for his contributions to nature conservation, he was knighted in the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau by the Queen of the Netherlands. He is currently conducting PhD research on otters along the coasts of Greece, Ireland, Norway, Shetland, and Portugal.
This visit further strengthened cooperation between international experts and national institutions and opened new opportunities for applying advanced methods in otter research and conservation in Croatia.
