IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group

Volume 23 Issue 1 Pages 1 - 48 (April 2006)

Note from the Editor
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There has been quite some delay between the last issue that was sent out earlier this year and the moment that this new issue goes online. There have been some discussions about the future within a group of people that in the past have been actively engaged in the IUCN OSG Bulletin. The problem was the steady increase of printing and postage costs and at the same time an ever increasing problem of raising funding.

I presented three options to the discussion group, namely to go on like in the past with the problem that somebody has to take the initiative and action to secure at least mid-term funding. Another option was to use the newly launched website and to place the manuscripts online once received and accepted. The third option was the simple solution to stop the IUCN OSG Bulletin. It turned out immediately that option number 3 was no option and that nobody had the financial means or contacts to pay for a three year period. Actually everybody was enthusiastic about the idea of having the IUCN OSG Bulletin online. As a service for those that really have no access to the internet a limited number of “handmade” copies will be made available upon request.

As a result of these discussions you can read now the first articles and reports on our new website at

http://www.otterspecialistgroup.org/Bulletin/index.html

This development would have been impossible without the dedicated work of Lesley for which we all owe her lots of thank! As you all may have noticed the website has completely been renewed and we have at least some information available. Please keep in mind that a website is as good as the information provided by the members to Lesley! We may now and then come with specific requests to some of you! Please send us, for example, the links to new publications that are online at various journals.

I hope that this new form will be accepted by the group and that we have a lot of pleasure with the Bulletin in the future!

With regards,

Arno

In addition to the IUCN OSG Bull that is now available online I was informed that the Proceedings of the conference held on Skye in 2003 are finally in the printing process and copies may be order from Grace. Please contact her for details (Grace M. Yoxon, E-mail: Grace@otter.org, www.otter.org).

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