Protecting otters

Civil engineers Bob and Marc came up with an ingenious way to keep otters safe!

Hi, I'm Marc. And I'm Bob. And we're on a mission to save animals.

So we've been working constructing a biomass power station just up the road here, and we were approached by the Environmental Action Group in Killin to come up with a solution to help with the otters that were killed and injured down here on the main road. We thought, yeah, this is definitely something that we can get involved in and help the situation.

We heard about a similar situation on another project and after discussions with the other engineers we decided to opt for the solution. The solution was to install roadside traffic bollards and implement a reflective strip on the side which directs the car lights into the verges, and what that does is the light then scares or spooks the animals that are trying to cross the road, and in turn scaring the animals away so that they don't get run over.

It's quite rewarding and when you see the photographs initially of, you know, otter deaths at the side of the road and to think that there's a good chance that we've now prevented that up here, you know, it's a good feeling. Being part of this project was a great feeling, that we've managed to accomplish it, to know that we've done something that's ultimately protecting animals, it's made it worthwhile. Engineering's a good industry to get into. Continual different challenges, you don't get bored, you've got loads of things to think about and work out and tackle on a daily basis, which is great, you know.

It's a good feeling at the end of a project when it's come together and you can see it for yourself.

I would recommend engineering to anyone. If you want a career which is fast paced, completely different every day, poses you with challenges... the feeling after you've overcome them and got to where you need to be at the end, is fantastic.