IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Volume 25
Issue 1 Pages 1 - 74 (April 2008)
OSG Group Members News
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News Items Involving OSG Members
OSG Events
- February 2008: Jim Conroy attended the IUCN/SSC Chairmens' Meeting in Dubai
- March 2008: OSG Members at "Development of water bodies and habitat corridors for and with the
indicator species otter (Lutra lutra)" in Bayern, Bavaria. Report from Andreas Kranz
- European Otter Workshop 2008 in Slovenia
New Members of OSG
Thus far this year, we have welcomed 17 new members to the OSG: you can read more about them in the Members-Only pages.
Jyoti Bhandari, Nepal: I have been doing otter research in Nepal from 2006.The research entitled “Status Distribution and Habitat use of Otter in Rupa Lake Nepal” and the project entitled “Conservation and Awareness of Otter in Rupa Lake Nepal” were completed . The research entitled “Status Distribution and Major threats on Otter in Karnali River of Bardia National Park” , “Survey and Awareness of Otter in Narayani river and Kali Gandaki river” and the project entitled “Conservation and Awareness of Otter in Nepal” are in going on phase.
Laura Bonesi, Italy: Laura is known to quite a few of us already. She is a a lecturer and researcher in wildlife management at the University of Trieste in Italy, currently working on the Italian population of Eurasian otters and in particular on the natural immigration of otters that is likely to occur in the near future in north-east of Italy from nearby Austria.
Christian Buchli, Switzerland: Christian works as an independent environment consultant and works part time for Pro Lutra (public relations, homepage, excursions and information and project management). He is interested in natural immigration of otters into Switzerland, and otters in Alpine habitats
John Cambell, UK: John works with Terry Holmes on Shetland Otters
Romina Fusillo, Italy: My research interests include the ecology of Mustelids, especially otters, resource and habitat selection by animals, the stream ecology. Recent research focussed on ecology and conservation of otters Lutra lutra in Southern Italy. Investigations included trophic ecology of otters in Mediterranean-like areas and habitat selection by otters in freshwater habitats. In particular, during my PhD I focussed on fish species and size selection, seasonal and geographic variation of otter diet, and environmental correlates of diet and fish predated by otters in Southern Italy, through local and large-scale spraint collection. I also studied habitat ecology (in particular resting site use and selection) of two radiotracked otters in the Cilento National park. With Manlio Marcelli we did a large-scale survey of otters in Southern Italy during years 2002-2004. At present, Manlio and I are interested in occupancy dynamics of otters at the southern margin of Italian distribution (Calabria region), on recolonization pattern of otters in Italy, and on quantitative evaluation of freshwater habitat habitat for prioritizing conservation actions for otters in Italy at the margins and the core of distribution.
Dilian Georgiev, Bulgaria: Dilian works on Ecology (habitats, marking sites), conservation and diet studies, and has published several times in the Bulletin. He is also our Bulgarian national representitive.
Sokrith Heng, Cambodia: Sokrith works on field surveying in and around Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia, and also in the Cardamon Mountains, with Conservation International.
Gandhiv Kafle, Nepal: Coordinating and facilitating otter identification and surveying, and obtaining community support to reduce conflict between otters and fishing communities / fish farmers, networking for otter research and conservation
Eleanor Kean, United Kingdom: Eleanor is working on a PhD at Cardiff University, supervised by Liz Chadwick, scent communication in otters (Lutra lutra), to assess if it is possible to use the chemical profile of scent signals as a monitoring technique.
George Kolias, USA: “Dr George” is well known to those of us working with captive otters, and has been involved with the medical care and captive management of a group of L. canadensis at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse NY for over 10 years.. He has been involved both nationally and internationally in the area of wildlife health and conservation for over 34 years, including the New York River Otter Project, where he worked on stress and its alleviation in recently captured otters, short term captive housing and husbandry, intensive medical and surgical care, and pre-release assessment and conditioning. He continues to be involved with this project primarily through the post-mortem evaluation of released otters, and presumed offspring of released otters.
Jozsef Lanski, Hungary: Well known to many of us, he studies the ecology of semi aquatic and terrestrial predators and conservation biology: feeding ecology of carnivores, monitoring, molecular genetics and toxicology of otters (Lutra lutra) and densities and population dynamics of carnivores in relation to food resources (fish, rodents).
Manlio Marcelli, Italy:My research interests focus on species monitoring, wildlife ecology, and landscape ecology especially on ecological processes involved in contraction and fragmentation of species distribution ranges, site occupancy, colonization and extinction, habitat selection. Target species are mustelids and in particular, the Eurasian otter. Recent research activities focussed on ecology and conservation of otters Lutra lutra in Southern Italy. In particular, during my PhD research I did a large scale survey of otter presence-absence in Southern Italy, and developed predictive habitat models for otters that allowed a description of range boundaries, core areas and distributional gaps, and the identification of ecological factors influencing otter distribution at different scales in Italy. Currently, my otter interests focus on occupancy dynamics of otters at the southern margin of Italian distribution (Calabria region), on recolonization pattern of otters in Italy, and on quantitative evaluation of freshwater habitat for prioritizing conservation actions for otters in Italy at the margins and the core of distribution.
Nhuan Van Nguyen, Vietnam: Working on the field of biodiversity conservation for a long term, training young conservationists and students who are studying in the universities related to biodiversity conservation. His major area of current interest is carnivores and pangolins, particularly the four species of otters in Vietnam
Nuna Pedroso and Teresa Sales-Luís, Portugal: Working with Margarida Santos-Reis, they have been to several colloquiums and other meetings, and are well known to many of us. They work on the ecology and conservation of Lutra lutra in Portugal
Scott Roberton, Vietnam: Senior technical advisor to the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program in Cuc Phuong National Park, providing guidance and support to the Vietnamese staff in all aspects of the program's implementation. He has carried out research into the distribution of otters in Vietnam, the global captive holdings of the four Asian otter species and the threats from the wildlife trade
Maria Schmalz, East Germany: Otter habitat analysis and otter surveying in Thüringen, Germany
Jon Watt, Scotland: Ecology, conservation and management of freshwater fish and riparian mammals especially Lutra lutra
Jean-Marc Weber, Switzerland: Predator-prey relationships in terrestrial carnivores; Social ecology of terrestrial carnivores, Wildlife conservation and management.
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