Otter drowns after being caught in illegal crayfish trap in River Nene
Police have said they have launched an investigation into the matter
An otter has been found drowned after being caught in an illegal crayfish in the River Nene.
Officers from Cambridgeshire Police were called to an incident over the weekend in the River Nene near Peterborough.
When responders arrived, they found a crayfish trap that had contained an otter inside that had become stuck inside and sadly drowned.
Cambridgeshire Police confirmed that an investigation into the incident had been opened and enquiries were ongoing.
In a statement, the force said: "This highlights the devastating consequences of using unlicenced or improperly set traps in our waterways."
The force urged people to remember that it is illegal to trap or remove crayfish without explicit permission from the Environment Agency, due to the nature of crayfish being a protected species.
As well as this, those looking to fish must also have written consent from the landowner or any other angling clubs to ensure the fish and wildlife population is not disproportionately impacted.