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IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 1 - 56 (April 2003) IUCN/SCC OSG Group From the Chairman's Desk - July 2003 Once again, many initiatives and activities have been started or achieved during the first half of this year. Upon a recommendation of the IUCN Red List Program we discussed the necessity and the scientific background of a revision of the number of otter species and of the nomenclature for the Lutrinae. One of the questions was if we should add the Japanese otter, which is probably extinct, as the 14th species (Lutra nippori) to the list of otters. Another topic was the suggestion to transfer the Spotted-necked otter (Lutra maculicollis) from the Lutra group to the Hydrictis group. In the end, we followed the advice of Klaus-Peter Koepfli, who has been working on the taxonomy of the Lutrinae for a long time, and decided to leave things unchanged until we have more detailed (genetic) data. However, based upon the results of genetic analysis, Klaus-Peter Koepfli suggested combining the Asian Small-clawed otter and the two African clawless otters in one genus, i.e. Aonyx. He contacted the executive director of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to ask his opinion as to whether any changes should be made at this tune. Depending on his advice we will continue this discussion. An import step forward has also been taken for the captive Giant otter population. In July 2003, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) officially approved the International Studbook for Pteronura brasiliensis. Dortmund Zoo (Germany) and Brasilia Zoo (Brazil) jointly hold the studbook and Sheila Sykes-Gatz (Dortmund Zoo) and Marcelo Lima Reis (Brasilia Zoo) have been appointed as the international studbook keepers. Improvements in management of the captive Giant otter population will contribute greatly to the conservation of the wild population of this species, through reduction of the threat caused by the taking of wild animals for exhibition purposes. By early 2004, the second edition of the husbandry and management recommendations for Giant otters, and the 1st edition of the Giant otter studbook SPARKS data set, will be available to everyone interested. Regarding the activities in Latin America, it seems that the International Otter Colloquium held in Chile 2001 really provided a push for otter work in this part of the world. To my great pleasure, my recommendation made in Valdivia to focus on the development of standardised survey methods especially seems to have fallen on fertile ground. Jessica Groenendijk reports that the second Giant Otter Field Methodology Standardisation Workshop was recently organised in south-eastern Peru, as a follow up to the first course which was held in November 2002. Eight Giant otter specialists from Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, Brazil and Ecuador, joined Jessica Groenendijk and Frank Hajek of the Frankfurt Zoological Society Giant Otter Project for a total of 10 days in June 2003. The main objective of the course/workshop was to share experiences from different Giant otter habitats and to critically comment on the draft paper "Towards Standard Survey Methodologies for the Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)" so that the latter reflects survey conditions and habitat realities throughout South America as completely as possible. Eventually, it is hoped that the same survey and monitoring methodology will be used in all the different countries, thereby allowing useful comparison of data. A second key objective of the workshop was to brainstorm a possible strategy for conducting Giant otter distribution surveys on a range-wide scale. Finally, the course focused on how human activities can be managed in key Giant otter habitats within the context of protected areas and nature tourism. The Frankfurt Zoological Society Giant Otter Project is also proud to announce the inauguration of the Sandoval Interpretation and Control Centre on the 21st of July. Since its construction (financed by FZS, WWF and GELM, a Peruvian NGO), the Centre has significantly increased revenues for the Tambopata National Reserve. The interpretation content, based on the theme "The World of Water"', highlights the importance of Lake Sandoval to the local communities, to tourism and to the resident family of Giant otters. It is hoped that the Interpretation Centre increases understanding and acceptance of the need for protected areas, and for visitor management. Helen Waldemarin also reports important steps forward. For the first time the remarkable number of 16 'otter people' attended the 10* Meeting of Latin American Specialists of Aquatic Mammals, which took place in October 2002 in Chile. In Brazil, two new long-term projects have been started in the Pantanal, where both the Giant otter and the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) occur. This work is done in close cooperation with the Giant otter project in the Bolivian Pantanal, initiated and coordinated by Paul van Damme. As I can confirm, on the basis of 1-2 applications for assistance from Latin America arriving in my e-mail box each week, the number of people interested in working with otters, especially the Neotropical otter, is increasing. This prompts me to ask all 'otter people' to use the 'Otter Project Databank (OPD)', which is part of the OSG website (www.otterspecialistgroup.org -> For Scientists -> OPD). All people involved in otter projects (not only members of the OSG) can provide information on their projects via this databank and also find information on projects focussing on the same species, located in the same region, or using the same or similar methods. Therefore, this databank not only offers contact addresses for people just planning or starting an otter project, it also can support cooperation of projects working on similar topics. However, this information and contact tool can only work optimally if as many people as possible will add their project descriptions. The website contains a form to add new projects and it will take less than 10 minutes per project to fill in the form. From Asia, Padma de Silva reports that Budsabong Kanchanasaka is continuing her efforts to study the Hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana). Unfortunately, of the three otters she trapped so far, two escaped and one died. She is now testing other methods to study this species in southern Thailand. Also, Drs Dang and Anh are still trying to increase our knowledge on this relatively unknown species. They have now confirmed its presence in both the U Minh Hai and Vo Doi Nature Reserves in southern Vietnam as a result of the intensive survey carried out in the years 2000 and 2002. The Columbus Zoo donated a small grant to Padma de Silva to prepare teaching materials for small children of age 5 to 10 yrs. In this project, a storybook was written incorporating the otter and the message it gives to the children is to conserve otters. The second book was prepared for coloring and it gives the pictures of some popular wetland animals, including the otter. The book also provides a description of the animal in English and the native language, Sinhalese. In addition, she has prepared jigsaw puzzles of five wetland animals, including the otter, for distribution among children. These materials will be distributed free, mostly among the under privileged children in rural areas of Sri Lanka. The initiative to increase our knowledge on the distribution of African otters, which I started together with Jan Nel and Helene Jacques last year, produces more and more exciting results. Just recently, I was able to confirm the presence of the Spotted-necked otter in Guinea-Bissau where, to date, the Cape clawless otter was believed to be the only otter species occurring. This also results in an enlargement of the distribution range of this species to the northwest and leads us to wonder whether this species also occurs in the neighbouring northern countries of Senegal and The Gambia. The European 'otter people' were busy preparing two meetings, which unfortunately took place less than one month apart. A conference on the Eurasian otter, organised by the IOSF on the Isle of Skye, took place in early July, and - following a decision of the European section of the OSG agreed at the last meeting in 1999 in Finland - a workshop on Lutra lutra, combined with a meeting of the European section of the OSG, again formed part of the 4th European Congress of Mammalogy in Brno, Czech Republic, at the end of July. The conference preparation activities of our North American colleagues are also increasing. In less than a year, they will host the XIth International Otter Colloquium at Frostburg University, Maryland, USA. Tom Serfass, who chairs the organisation committee, has set up the first pages of a website (http://otter.frostburg.edu) which will be completed soon. I am very glad to see that fundraising activities have already started, to ensure that as many 'otter people' as possible (especially those from the poorer countries) will have a chance to attend this colloquium. Hankensbüttel, July 2003 |
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