IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin

©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Volume 28 A (2011)

Note from the Editors
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The Never Ending Story – A sequel!

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Otter Enthusiasts!

“After all this, I have to state, that in the future Proceedings of the Otter Colloquium must be produced immediately after the meeting (at least within 12 months) or not at all.” (IUCN OSG Bull. 19A, 1)

This was part of the editorial note for the Proceedings from the VIIth International Otter Colloquium more than ten years ago. These good intentions did not materialize since as once again the Proceedings from an International Otter Colloquium are severely delayed! However, rather than complain about that I hope that we all as authors, reviewers, editors and of course organisers of an International Otter Colloquium take this as a learning experience and that we will do it in a timely manner in the future.

The Xth International Otter Colloquium, was held from 10-16 October 2007, in Hwacheon, South Korea under the General Theme: “Otters – Ambassadors of Peace”. Hwacheon County lies in the north east of the country close to the border with North Korea, the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) being about half an hour from the city itself. Hwacheon city and county play a leading role in Korea’s efforts to achieve peace, reconciliation and harmony with their North Korean neighbours. Many of us brought empty bullet casings as a contribution to the bell that is now in place in the World Peace Bell Park next to the Peace Dam that we visited during our field trip to the DMZ. The Mayor of Hwacheon was the principal instigator of this project. We will all remember his enthusiastic support of our conference. We received such a warm welcome and experienced a conference that will remain a unique memory for each of us.

Otters were present everywhere, from the reception desk at Incheon Airport, to the city of Hwacheon, where flags fluttered from every light post, to the illuminated fountain where otters changed colours at night. The Xth International Otter Colloquium was more that just another meeting it was also a major cultural exchange. We will all remember the Korean Fusion band, the traditional dances and the opera.

The colloquium gave us the chance to meet old friends and make new ones, to learn more about otters, especially the problems facing otters in Southeast Asia. For many of us it was our first encounter with a very different culture. South Korea is a ‘hidden gem’ with delightful people, delicious food and really interesting country that we all had the chance to experience.

The colloquium was also memorable as it was the first time we met since our chairman passed away between two conferences. The moments of silence when we remembered Claus are an unforgettable part of the colloquium in Hwacheon. Meanwhile we are still working to launch the “Claus Reuther Travel Fund” that was announced in Hwacheon.

Finally we have now started to get the Proceedings of the Xth International Otter Colloquium online as Special Issue 28A of our IUCN OSG Bulletin. We want to thank all the authors for their patience, all the reviewers for their efforts and Lesley for all her work to get this huge number of articles finally online.