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

Volume 26 Issue 2 Pages 65 - 131  (October 2009)

Abstracts

Abandoned Clay Mines: An Opportunity For Eurasian Otters In NW Spain
Pages 67- 72 (Report)
César Ayres and Pablo García
Abstract
The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is widely distributed in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, supposedly one of the best populations of Spain. Usually otters inhabit coastal and riverine habitats in this region, but in some cases they use man-made habitats. In the last three winters the seasonal use of old clay pits by otters has been studied in a locality from Galicia. The abundance of these artificial habitats could lead to a recolonization of Gandaras de Budiño and Ribeiras do Louro wetland, where the species disappeared in the last century.
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Are Otters an Effective Flagship for the Conservation of Riparian Corridors in an Amazon Deforestation Frontier?
Pages 73 - 77 (Short Note)
Darren Norris and Fernanda Michalski
Abstract
Using flagship species to generate support for conservation activities has been successfully applied in some regions. We investigated whether using otters as a flagship for the conservation of riparian corridors in an Amazonian deforestation frontier would be likely to result in similar success. Between December 2007 and May 2009, we conducted 64 interviews with local landowners in the region of Alta Floresta (MT, Brazil). These interviews revealed a neutral attitude towards otters, which indicates that direct persecution (e.g. retaliation against otter predation on fish) is unlikely in the region. However, it also suggested that using otters as a flagship to generate local support for regional conservation activities will not be effective. There was a sharp contrast with the replies to questions regarding riparian corridors, where interviews did reveal strong positive attitudes. These results suggested that to conserve Giant Otters in the Amazon “Arc of deforestation”, efforts should focus on the support of maintenance of riparian corridors connecting forest fragments by local people.
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Armadillo (Cingulata: Dasypodidae) in the Diet Of the Neotropical Otter Lontra longicaudis in Southern Brazil
Pages 78 - 81 (Short Note)
Fernando Marques Quintela and Andressa Gatti
Abstract
Claws, hairs and osteoderms of armadillo (Cingulata: Dasypodidae) were found in a scat of a neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) in an edge of a pluvial channel near a peat forest in the southern Coastal Plain of Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. Due to the absence of carrion-eating invertebrates in the sample, it is suggested that the armadillo was actively preyed upon by the otter. This is the first record of armadillo in the diet of Lontra longicaudis.
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Historic and Current Distributions of River Otters (Lontra canadensis) and (Lontra longicaudis) in the Río Grande or Río Bravo del Norte Drainage of Colorado and New Mexico, USA and of Chihuahua, Mexico and Adjacent Areas
Pages 82 - 96 (Article)
Paul Polechla and Eduardo Carrillo-Rubio
Abstract
The Río Grande drainage is an important and imperiled wetland of the US/Mexican border arid lands. There is a desire to restore otter populations in this river by interested parties. In order to follow IUCN guidelines for restoration, biologists need learn more fully the situation prior to implementation of restoration management. A prerequisite for proper restoration conservation is to know the organism’s taxonomy (i.e., what taxa or species and subspecies one is dealing with), distribution, and relative abundance. The historic and current distribution of the Nearctic otter (Lontra canadensis) and Neotropical otter (L. longicaudis) in the borderlands of US and Mexico are reviewed in this paper. The evidence indicates that otters were native to the Río Grande valley and has been recorded in the languages and customs of Native Americans such as the Pueblo people prior to European settlement of the area. The first Spanish documents we were able to find whereby otters were recorded, date to the middle 16th century. Otters during historical times were probably more numerous than previously thought and one of the first wildlife laws in the borderlands revolved around a moratorium on trapping the otter and beaver. Presently, populations of otters occur in 1) the Río San Pedro of Chihuahua, a tributary of the Río Conchos entering the Río Grande from the southeast, 2) the upper Río Grande near the Colorado/New Mexico border, and 3) the middle Pecos River in southeastern New Mexico entering the Río Grande from the west.  These observations are corroborated by multiple observations by competent observers and in the case of the first population, otter photos and sign. These populations are centered on areas with macro-habitats characterized by a river flowing through 1) deep canyons, or 2) ancillary wetlands. Considerable more detailed survey work is needed to determine the full extent of the distribution of otters in the Río Grande drainage. A genetic study is critically needed to determine the true taxonomic affiliation of these recently discovered populations. A moratorium on translocations should be put in place for the Río Grande to conserve the native populations already existing.
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Assessing Otter Presence In Dams: A Methodological Proposal
Pages 97 - 109 (Article)
Nuno M. Pedroso and Margarida Santos-Reis
Abstract
Standard otter survey methodology proposed by the IUCN Otter Specialist Group enables comparisons in present/absence data in different countries or in different regions. However, otter presence and distribution assessment in dry areas, such as the Mediterranean region, which are characterized by highly marked seasonal climate with intermittent water flow coupled with different types of habitats or systems such as dams, may gain from adjustment to the methodology. Pressure for dam building still occurs in these regions and the need for studies on ecological communities and species protection is increasing. Dams are very different from usual otter riverine habitat and we need to understand their influence on otter populations. Variation of dam location, reservoir characteristics and season will all influence spraint detectability. Environmental Impact Assessment Studies and ecological studies are frequently limited by both budget and time requiring field researchers to apply more efficient methodologies. Based on experience from studies conducted in Portugal we propose adjustments to the standard survey methodology (using spraints) surveying otter presence in dams to be applied specifically to Mediterranean-type ecosystems. We define aspects to be considered regarding survey season, survey length and width, number and location of survey sites, among others. This paper will allow researchers to plan more effective field surveys based on standard otter survey methodology for the purpose of dam surveys, be that to detect otter presence/absence, a more in-depth comparative studies of otter presence, or simply improving the collecting of fresh spraints for molecular spraint analysis.
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