IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Volume 30 Issue 1 (January 2013)
OSG Group Members News
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Quadrennial Review
To comply with SSC policy, we have to review our membership every four years, and the Chair must appoint group members and officers for the next four years (Quadrennium). We are currently undergoing this process.
Update 1 Aug 2013: We have finally finished this process, which began on 11th April - it has taken more than three months. Thanks to all of you that responded promptly.
New Members of OSG
Since the last issue, we have welcomed 21 new members to the OSG: you can read more about them on the Members-Only pages.
Membership of the OSG is currently being reviewed, as we are required to do so every four years by IUCN/SSC
Omar Fadhil Al-Sheikhly, Iraq: I'm teaching at the Department of Biology in the University of Baghdad. lecturer and wildlife expert at the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum. Also worked as a field team leader and wildlife photographer, CBD and CITES focal point of Nature Iraq. I've trained many Iraqi young biologists working at Iraqi environmental institutes and Iraqi Ministry of Environemnt IMoE on wildlife field methodology. I have photographed most of the birds and mammals of Iraq, and published books and papers on them. I took part in the first Nature Iraq survey to find out if Lutrogale perspicillata maxwellii still exists.
Kelly Ashcraft, USA: I am a PhD student in the Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Science Program at the University of Maryland where my research will be focused on assessing the value of river otters as a tool to promote aquatic education and awareness at Yellowstone National Park. In addition to research, I enjoy working with the public on issues related to river otter conservation.
Guido Ayala, Bolivia: I work on the giant otter, the queen of water The giant otter is an indicator of habitat in good condition. I am working on her distribution in northern Bolivia, which is little known.
Yvonne Black, UK: I am a veterinary surgeon in small animal practice with a longstanding interest in wildlife and conservation. I am currently working towards an MVetSci in Conservation Medicine with University of Edinburgh. I have a keen personal interest in otters and they often feature in my studies!
Alvaro Botelo-Botelo, Colombia: I have been working on the conservation of neotropical otters in the central Andes of Colombia for four years. My areas of interest are diet, habitat use and the conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
George Bouros, Romania: I work for the Romanian Association for Biodiversity Conservation (ABC), surveying and monitoring otters in Romania. I recently surveyed the Natura 2000 protected areas likely to contain otters and found previously unrecorded evidence in five parts of Romania. I am currently surveying Putna-Vrancea Natural Park using he Standard Method, Spot Check, Snow Tracking, Photo-Trapping and Diet analysis.
David Field, United Kingdom: Owner of the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary ; working on Conservation, education, breeding and rehabilitation of the European otter as well as research and raising public awareness through our visitor centre and website
Melanie Findlay, UK: I run a small ecological consultancy in Scotland, and run otter surveying courses for the Institute of Ecology and Environmental management (IEEM), and myself worked on the latest SCM otter survey. I am particularly interested in the breeding ecology of otters in Scotland.
Tatjana Gregorc, Slovenia: I work at Lutra, the Institute for Conservation of Natural Heritage, in Slovenia. My fields of special interest are semi aquatic mammals (especially otters) and environmental impact assessments. During past 7 years I have gained a lot of experience in field work (otter inventory, monitoring, habitat assessment) and was involved in several projects dealing with otters (researches, public awareness raising and education).
Jimena Guerrero-Flores, Mexico: My name is Jimena Guerrero (PhD student in Glasgow University) and I am interested in using genetic methods to find out how natural landscape and man-made disturbances can affect long-term survival of endangered otter populations.
Meoghan (Meg) Harris, USA: My PhD is on The effect of habitat fragmentation onf the spatial ecology and bioaccumulation of small carnivores in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuaty, Sabah, Borneo. I am also a Research Assistant for Kinabatangan Carnivore Programme, managing live trapping of Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) and small carnivores for spatial ecology research.
Prashant Joshi, India: Zoo educator and curator, working on education/outreach with visitors and in schools. I an in charge of the Wildlife Interpretation Centre at the zoo. I work on husbandry and enrichment programs with our Smooth-Coated Otters, Lutrogale perspicillata, which are successfully breeding.
Roohollah Mirzaei, Iran: I work on distribution, ecology and habitat of Eurasian otters in Iran.
Rosemary Moorhouse-Gann, United Kingdom: I am the Assistant Project Manager of the Cardiff University Otter Project and am responsible for the day-to-day management of the project. This includes carrying out post mortem examinations, compiling reports, publicising the project, and developing new avenues of research.
Nicola Okes, South Africa: I am currently doing my PhD on Cape Clawless Otters in urban environments. Prior to this I was a research officer with TRAFFIC working on marine resources, and a Programme Officer for WWF South Africa on sustainable fisheries.
Stephen Powles, United Kingdom: Amateur naturalist and keen wildlife photographer who studies a local otter population in mid Devon (UK) using field signs, CCTV and camera traps. In the process of setting up a “citizen science” project using camera traps to both study the otters and to engage the local community.
Livia Rodrigues, Brazil: I am a Brazilian biologist and study otters since my graduation. Actually, I work on the National Research Center of Carnivore (CENAP), agency of Brazilian government. The research center's mission is to stimulate research and conservation of mammalian carnivores in Brazil. In 2010 was elaborated a National Action Plan of Giant Otter, which include neotropical otter too. Inside the CENAP, I am responsible for this National Action Plan, which includes coordinating the implementation and monitoring of the actions of the plan.
Lizzie Ross, United Kingdom: I actively survey across Northumberland for otter signs and am a co-founder of The Otter Network which is a community group for otter enthusiasts in Northumberland, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and Durham. Our current collaboration is with the Waterford Institute of Technology investigating DNA analysis of spraint as a monitoring and research tool.
Willow Smallbone, United Kingdom: Currently on professional training year as a research assistant with Cardiff University Otter Project . As part of this, I am assisting in various research projects, post mortems, report writing as well as volunteer recruitment and coordination.
Alejandro Valenzuela, Argentina: Dr. Valenzuela did his dissertation studying the ecology of the southernmost population of the southern river otter (Lontra provocax), especially its conservation and relationship with the invasive American mink (Neovison vison). Interested in wildlife conservation and management, his current work for the Argentine National Parks Administration focuses particularly on improving our understanding of the social/policy making issues around the conservation of this endangered otter, while coordinating native and exotic fauna research, monitoring and management for the protected areas throughout southern Patagonia.
Nicci Wright, South Africa: Nicci Wright is the Senior Animal Manager for FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre based outside Johannesburg, South Africa. Although she works with all Southern African indigenous species, Nicci has gathered much hands-on otter experience with handrearing orphans, rehabilitating compromised adults and formulating monitored release protocols for these cases.