IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
© IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Volume 27 Issue 2 Pages 59 - 122 (June 2010)
Abstracts
Distribution of Otters in the Tropeang Roung, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia
Pages 63 - 77 (Report)
Tangkor Dong, Monorum Tep, Sotheary Lim, Sophall Soun and Tevy Chrin
Two species of otters are found along Tropeang Roung River, the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspecillata) and the hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana). The distribution of these species was studied along a stretch of the Tropeang Roung River in Koh Kong province, Cambodia, between May and June 2009. Their main habitat appears to be both small and big estuary surrounded by Melaleuca, Mangrove and evergreen forest with shoreline vegetation followed by sand (24%), clay (13%), rocky (10%) and bank with vegetation (53%), where is rich of food sources, particularly fish. The sprainting sites were found more under open sky then canopy cover, and situated their spraint in average of 4.33 m from water edge and 2.73 m of water depth. Diet compositions in spraint consisted of fish 64%, frog 5%, crab 2%, shrimp 1% and unidentified debris 28%. The study revealed that the distribution of otters along the river has diminished. Hunting for skin to trade, traditional medicine, meat and habitat disturbance such as sand mining and fishing activities might be putting pressure on the population. Conservation measures such as monitoring of the otter population and interviewing locals should be done regularly and restrictions on sand mining, oil spills from shipping and snaring should be imposed along Tropeang Roung River.
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Predation of water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) by smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) in Peninsular Malaysia
Pages 78 - 84 (Report)
Gareth Goldthorpe, Chris Shepherd, Stephen Hogg and Boyd Leupen
A smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) was observed and photographed attacking and killing a water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) in a small pond at the Forestry Research Institute, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. This is the first time such an interaction has been recorded between these species and possible explanations for the behaviour are discussed.
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Consumptive Uses of and Lore pertaining to Spotted-Necked Otters in East Africa – a Preliminary Report from the Lake Victoria Area of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda
Pages 85 - 88 (Short Note)
Janice Reed-Smith, Isaac Oluoch, Mark Origa, Tua Samweli Kihedu, Majaliwa Musiba Muhabi, Mandy Musumba Yusuf, Mordecai Ogada, Alex Lobora and Thomas Serfass
We compiled information about uses and lore pertaining to spotted-necked otters (Lutra maculicollis) inhabiting portions of Lake Victoria. The information was derived from discussions conducted during 2005-2009 with 100 residents living in communities adjacent to Lake Victoria in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Our information is entirely anecdotal, but residents indicated that parts of otters are eaten or worn to enhance virility, and also killed for food. We do not know the extent that otters are being killed for these purposes and further investigation is needed on the potential impact on populations.
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Otter Conservation In Pakistan
Pages 89 - 92 (Short Note)
Waseem Ahmad Khan and Hussain Bux Bhagat
This note describes the conservation status and threats of the two otter species described in Pakistan; Smooth coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata sindica) and the Eurasian or common otter (Lutra lutra). It also briefly describes the actors involved as well as the efforts made for its conservation.
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Observations on the Climbing Habits of Neotropical Otter Lontra longicaudis
Pages 93 - 97 (Short Note)
Fabiano Aguiar da Silva and Fernando Marques Quintela
An individual of Lontra longicaudis was observed climbing a tree trunk till the height of ca. eight meters (trunk inclination=84.29º) about 50m away from the water in a southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest fragment. This behavior occurred after an interaction with the observer and may be related to defensive tactics in areas more distant from water bodies.
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Note on Hair-Sampling Devices for Eurasian Otters
Pages 98 - 104 ( Report)
Rachel A. Kuhn
Devices to collect hairs from Eurasian otters were tested in captivity. Two designs of hair traps (a wooden box and a set of 7 sticks stuck into the ground) were set in an enclosure and each was tested with two different materials to capture hairs: double-sided adhesive tape and the hook side of velcro brand fastener. Three types of lures were used to entice the otters into the box: food, foreign spraints and cod liver oil. All the hair trap configurations tested were successful in capturing hairs, and up to 52 hairs/24 hours were found glued on the adhesive tape that was fastened to the lid of the box. The set of sticks with velcro strips was the less effective device with only 5 hairs captured in 4 days.
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Ecological Aspects of Neotropical Otter (Lontra longicaudis) in Peri Lagoon, South Brazil
Pages 105 - 115 ( Report)
Oldemar Carvalho-Junior, Alesandra Bez Birolo and Luis C.P. de Macedo-Soares
This study presents the monthly and annual diet composition and variability of an otter population living at Peri Lagoon, Santa Catarina Island, South Brazil. Food item proportion through the years and months reveals that fish and crustacean are the main food items, followed by birds and mammals. The results reveal no significant difference in the item fish and crustacean in the diet composition among years. However a difference is found through months for fish abundance in the diet and number of feces, with lowest averages for the month of April. Fish in the family Cichlidae is the main prey in the otter’s diet.
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