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IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 1 - 53 (April 2001) IUCN/SCC OSG Group From the Chairman's Desk In writing this note, and looking back at the activities since the last issue of the Bulletin, I realise that more than three months have already past since I met many of you as participants of the VIII. International Otter Colloquium (IOC) in Valdivia/Chile. More than 60 otter specialists from 24 countries joined this event and I'm sure that all of you who attended will agree that it was a very useful and impressive meeting. Once again, I want to thank Gonzalo Medina, who prepared and organised this event. In Valdivia, we heard much new information, especially from the America's; we were able to establish or to renew many personal contacts, and we had very productive discussions. The latter are reflected in the Recommendations of this IOC, which I have already distributed via our listserver and which are also available from my office. For the first time, we used the accompanying meeting of the Otter Specialist Group (OSG) to evaluate the realisation of the Recommendations of the last IOC, held in 1998 in Trebon/Czech Republic. It was impressive to see how much has been realised since then. However, some activities agreed in Trebon still remain unfulfilled, and still need our attention. In Valdivia, the OSG made progress on two important aspects. For the first time, the vision, objectives, goals, and the targets of the group have been defined and documented in a 'Manifesto'. This declaration will form the basis of our future work and for the preparation of detailed working plans. It is also unique in the history of this group that we now have a clearly defined membership structure. I am sure that this will increase the efficiency of the OSG's work and will guarantee the high scientific and conservation level required for a 'Specialist Group'. After again being appointed by the SSC as Chairman of the OSG for the period 2000-2003, I have begun to use the new structure for the membership of the OSG. This means I have had to review the complete OSG and SSC database and to mail more than 150 letters of invitation to remaining or new members, as well as letters of thanks to retiring members. In the meantime, most invited members have already sent back the forms for the SSC, which are mandatory for membership and, therefore, the OSG is well prepared for the next IUCN triennium. We also used the time since Valdivia to initiate the first follow-up of the activities agreed at our last meeting. Together with Addy de Jongh and Alfred Melissen, I prepared a first draft for the 'Guidelines for release projects (re-introductions, translocations, reinforcement or supplementation) for the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra). This forms part of the revival process of the Re-introduction Advisory Committee (RAC) of the European section of the OSG. As soon as we have finished the revision of the first draft we will send it to interested OSG members and to the Re-introduction Specialist Group of IUCN/SSC for comments. A further initiative is the new focus on African otters. It became obvious in our workshop 'How to implement the Otter Action Plan?', held in November 2000 at the German Otter Centre, that Africa needs our special attention. By the way, the proceedings of this workshop have been published as volume 13 of HABITAT, the scientific journal of 'Aktion Fischotterschutz', in February and are available now (see announcement in this issue of the Bulletin). As part of the 8th International Theriological Congress to be held in August 2001 in South Africa Jan Nel and I prepared a workshop on 'African otters - How to increase knowledge of their biology, distribution, and threats to survival?'. This workshop will offer the opportunity for all participants interested in otters, or involved in research or conservation projects related to wetland habitats, in Africa to discuss the possibilities of increasing knowledge on African otters. Two initial presentations will give an overview on the state of present knowledge regarding African otters, and will introduce examples of activities in other continents that led to an increase in research and conservation activities. Ideas will be presented as to how these experiences could be applied in Africa. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss these suggestions, the possibilities for co-operation, regional and thematic priorities for future work on African otters, and the contribution of these activities to wetland conservation in Africa. In parallel with the above workshop, Hélène Jacques, Jan Nel, and I have started an initiative to collect data and samples from African otters in zoos and museums that can be used for genetic analysis. The results will support the development of a specific field guide, the testing of survey methods, and the preparation of training courses in Africa. It is my hope that these activities will also be a great help in our search for Aonyx congicus, and will result in a success story similar to that which recently occurred in Asia with Lutra sumatrana. From Latin America I have information from Helen Waldemarin, from Brazil, that she has prepared a course on 'Research and Conservation of Otters', that will be offered to students at various Brazilian universities, and is aimed at increasing the interest of biologists in this region for otters. Good news can also be announced from Asia. Motokazu Ando and Hiroshi Sasaki have just published a book that should not be absent from any otter conservationists' library. Entitled 'The Wetlands Ambassador - Education and Public .Awareness Methodologies for Otter Conservation', this 56-page book contains many 'best practice' examples from all over the world. I am sure that it will become an important source of ideas for initiating public awareness activities. I want to congratulate Motokazu and Hiroshi for this excellent initiative and I want to thank all authors who contributed to this collection. Priorities for our activities in the coming months will be
given to the revision of the IUCN Red List, to the continuing
revision process of the Otter Action Plan, to the establishment
of the OSG Task Forces agreed in Valdivia and, hopefully, to the
preparation of the OSG website. After having reconstituted the
organisational basis of the OSG, I welcome all remaining and all
new members of OSG and I invite all of you to contribute to
these activities. |
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