10.Oktoober 2025

Saarma levik on Saaremaal seni arvatust laialdasem

The distribution of otters on Saaremaa is more widespread than previously thought

2024. aastal valiti Eesti aasta loomaks . See on , kes sööb kalu, veelinde ja vähke. Saarmas teeb suurema osa oma tegevusest öösel, mistõttu on teda raskesti näha.

Kuressaare Hariduse Kooli õpilane Isadora Rahumeel uuris rajakaamerate piltide abil saarma levikut Saaremaal. Ta avastas, et saarmas elab Saaremaa jõgedel ja ojadel laiemalt kui varem arvati. Saarmale meeldivad , ja .

Harilik saarmas kuulub a. Tema keha on pikk ja voolujooneline, jalad lühikesed ning saba jäme. Saarmas elab veekogude lähedal ja märgistab oma territooriumi väljaheidetega. Ta kasutab puhkamiseks ja pesitsemiseks kaldas olevaid urkasid.

Saarmas on levinud laialdaselt Euroopas, Aasias ja Põhja-Aafrikas. Siiski on ta paljudes piirkondades ohulähedane. Saarmad hukkuvad liikluses ja kaotavad elupaiku teede ehitamise tõttu. Lisaks on saarmast peetud kalavarudele kahjulikuks, kuigi ta sööb pigem väiksemaid kalu ja teisi loomi.

Eestis on saarmaste arvukus aja jooksul muutunud. 1970. aastatel oli saarmaid vaid umbes 300, kuid nende arv on tänu headele aastatele taas kasvanud. Praegu on Eestis mitu tuhat saarmast.

Saaremaale jõudis saarmas alles 1998. aastal. Isadora Rahumeel uuris rajakaamerate abil, kus ja kuidas saarmas Saaremaal elab. Ta leidis, et saarmad eelistavad pikki jõgesid, mille kallad on kaetud metsaga. Lühikesed jõed, mis , ei sobi saarmale.

Isadora tegi kindlaks, et saarmas esineb 24 erinevas kohas Saaremaal. Tema töö pälvis preemia õpilaste teadustööde konkursil.

In 2024, the Eurasian otter was chosen as Estonia's animal of the year. This is an aquatic predator that feeds on fish, waterfowl, and crayfish. The otter performs most of its activities at night, making it difficult to spot.

Isadora Rahumeel, a student at Kuressaare Hariduse Kool, studied the distribution of otters on Saaremaa using trail camera images. She discovered that otters live more widely on Saaremaa's rivers and streams than previously thought. Otters prefer long rivers, forested banks, and minimal human activity.

The Eurasian otter belongs to the mustelid family. Its body is long and streamlined, with short legs and a thick tail. The otter lives near water bodies and marks its territory with droppings. It uses burrows in riverbanks for resting and nesting.

The otter is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. However, it is endangered in many regions. Otters die in traffic and lose habitats due to road construction. Additionally, otters have been considered harmful to fish stocks, although they primarily eat smaller fish and other animals.

In Estonia, the otter population has fluctuated over time. In the 1970s, there were only about 300 otters, but their numbers have since rebounded due to favorable years. Currently, there are several thousand otters in Estonia.

The otter reached Saaremaa only in 1998. Isadora Rahumeel used trail cameras to study where and how otters live on Saaremaa. She found that otters prefer long rivers with forested banks. Short rivers that dry up in summer are unsuitable for otters.

Isadora determined that otters are present in 24 different locations on Saaremaa. Her work won an award in a student research competition.