IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
Volume 35 Issue 1 (January 2018)
OSG Group Members News
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New Members of OSG
Since the last issue, we have welcomed 9 new members to the OSG: you can read more about them on the Members-Only pages.
Paras Acharya, Nepal: Paras M Acharya has had a lifelong career studying otters, marsh mugger, gharial crocodile and wetland conservation in Nepal.
Jeffrey Black, USA: I am a Professor at Humboldt State University that hosts a Citizen Science project that tracks river otters in northern California. I also sponsor undergraduate and MS students studying river otter ecology and behavior.
http://www2.humboldt.edu/wildlife/faculty/black/research/otters.html
María Camila Latorre Cárdenas, Mexico: My main interest is to understand the relationship between the effect of human activities on the viability of the Neotropical otter populations in Mexico and Colombia. I have evaluated the effect of pollution and fishing activities on the health of populations of otters. Currently my interest is to understand the relationship between landscape configuration and genetic population patterns of otters, in order to identify priority areas for the long-term maintenance of the populations.
David Carss, UK: I am a vertebrate ecologist with a particular interest in predator-prey relationships. Much of my
research has focussed on fish-eating predators and their prey. I studied otter (Lutra lutra)
ecology in north-east Scotland for many years, focussing on freshwaters: rivers, streams and lakes.
In broad terms, this research was related to otter habitat use, feeding ecology and - ultimately– to conservation.
Shannon Crowley, Canada: I began conducting research on North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) in 2006 as part of my graduate studies at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). In my current position as the Ecological Monitoring Coordinator for the John Prince Research Forest (JPRF; co-managed by UNBC and Tl’azt’en Nation), I continue to conduct research on the habitat selection, status and health of populations in relation to mercury exposure, and survey methods of river otters in British Columbia, Canada. River otters are a focal species of a long-term monitoring program in the JPRF and will continue to be an emphasis of my research activities for the foreseen future
Baird Fleming, USA: I began my otter career by raising orphaned otters in Honduras at the age of 8. I spent over 8 years living with otters until embarking on my professional career which includes decades working within Zoo and rehabilitation facilities overseeing the husbandry, veterinary and exhibit needs of many species, including multiple species of otters. I am currently Director of the Albuquerque BioPark; we are about to open a North American river otter exhibit and are planning to open a Sea Otter exhibit that will house otters from Monterey Bay’s sea otter program in the next two years
Nishikant Gupta, Nepal: I have a deep-rooted interest in freshwater species, in particular the threatened Mahseer fish, and an ever-growing curiosity on avian biology, community-based conservation initiatives, recreational angling, flagship species, the role of religion in the conservation of species, and protected areas. ! am currently working as a Programme Officer for the Koshi Basin Initiative at the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal on a Rufford project assessing the population status and distribution of otters in the Indian Himalayan State of Uttarakhand.
Alessandro Ponzo, Phillippines: A vet by training, I have worked in marine conservation for the last 20 years. I am executive director of the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institution Phillippines. Among our projects, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development has asked us to provide data to support up-listing the Palawan porpulation of Aonyx cinereus to CITES Appendix I.
Tshering Tobgay, Bhutan: I have genuine interest in learning of Otter species in Bhutan and also to help in conserving the species. Moreover, there is also a gap in status and distribution of Otter species in Bhutan. So, I am seriously looking up to build this knowledge.