IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin

©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group

Volume 36 Issue 1 (January 2019)

Abstracts

Does the African (Cape) clawless otter eat mammals?
Pages 3 - 6 (Short Note)
David T Rowe-Rowe
In studies done in southern Africa on the diet of African (Cape) clawless otters Aonyx capensis in freshwater habitats, using faecal analysis, the incidence of mammal remains was < 1% to 2% (relative per cent occurrence), and at four localities no traces of mammals were recorded. In a detailed study on the predatory behaviour of A. capensis mammals were never killed or eaten, which was also found to be the case in observations on many A. capensis by a wildlife rehabilitator. It is suggested that A. capensis does not naturally prey on or eat mammals, and that the presence of mammal remains in scats (spraints) can attributed to incidental ingestion by the otter, or the inadvertent inclusion of water mongoose Atilax paludinosus scats, similar in appearance to those of the otter, in the sample. As otters in South Africa are often blamed for killing sheep or goats, the information that A. capensis does not kill mammals should be used to prevent unnecessary persecution.
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Citizen Science in Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) Research Sighting Reports and Findings of Dead Otters
Pages 7 - 16 (Report)
Katarina Loso and Anna Roos
Since 2003 the Swedish Museum of Natural History (SMNH) has administered a web page where the general public can report sightings of otters and otter tracks. Between 2003 and 2014 the Museum received 1142 reports. The reports were divided into season and type of sighting: live animals, tracks and group size. Most reports of live animals were received during spring (35%) and only originated near human populations; the data therefore does not represent the whole country. Nevertheless, this type of citizen science provides a great source of information about the elusive otter and increases public awareness of otters, thus helping to support otter conservation.
In Sweden, otters found dead are sent to the SMNH for necropsy and sampling for the Museum’s Environmental Specimen Bank. A total of 701 dead otters were sent to SMNH between 2003 and 2014. Most otters were killed in traffic (80%) and some were bycaught in fishing gear (8%). Traffic casualties were more common during autumn and winter, whereas bycatches in fishing gear were most common during summer.
Reports of live otters or otter sign, together with the information about the dead otters, suggest patterns of distribution and reproduction status of otters in Sweden. The reports give interesting additional information on the status and behavior of otters and are valuable complements to scientific otter surveys.
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Neotropical Otters as Promoters of Environmental Awareness
Pages 17 - 27 (Report)
Sofia V. Dias, Luciano M. Verdade, Bárbara Prado, Victor Zanetti, Nain Almeida, Margarida Santos-Reis and Nuno M. Pedroso
Otter species can be used as flagship to promote the protection of aquatic environments in regions where they are known or regularly seen. In a previous study on the perceptions of local communities about the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) in Central-South São Paulo State, Brazil, we identified knowledge gaps and population groups with potential for conflict with the species. We also assessed the species local distribution and found that habitat quality was deteriorating, due to aquatic contamination by urban waste and antibiotics and destruction of the riparian vegetation. To tackle this situation, with financial support from the National Geographic Society, we designed and implemented an awareness campaign having the Neotropical otter as a flagship species (“Projeto Neolontra“). The project goals were to: i) raise awareness on aquatic species and habitats valuing the previews information given by the population; ii) prevent the intensification of human-otter conflicts; and, additionally, iii) complete the assessment of otter distribution in the region, building on local knowledge and field campaigns. For that we conducted 27 talks to 1337 attendees between August and October 2017 and produced awareness materials (posters, t-shirts, handouts), informally delivering science-based information to local populations. With this project we were able to link societal challenges, biodiversity conservation principles, and education actions, involving local partners and institutions, contributing to empower their role within the community and influencing decision makers on issues such as water use, riparian habitats preservation, urban waste effects, and medications disposal needs
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Occurrence of Smooth-Coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata in Sankaraparani River, Puducherry, India
Pages 28 - 33 (Short Communication)
Kothandapani Raman, Sivangnanaboopathidossvimal, Sakthivel Kishorekumar, Bawa M. Krishnakuamr and Kanagaraj M. Selvan
Lack of robust data has so far impeded a proper appraisal on the distribution of any taxa. In this article, we present a record of smooth-coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1826) in the Sankaraparani River, Union territory of Puducherry, India, an area where it has previously not been recorded. As otters have been preying on fish entangled in fishing nets, fishermen have been killing them in retaliation, which is a significant conservation issue for the otter population
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Notes on the Behaviour of Neotropical River Otter (Lontra longicaudis) in Palomino River (La Guajira, Colombia)
Pages 34 - 47 (Report)
Oscar Medina-Barrios and Diana Morales-Betancourt
The Neotropical river otter is a semiaquatic mammal that occupies a large geographic distribution. It habitually defecates in conspicuous areas on land; these indirect indicators are the focus of most of the studies that involve them, but little is known about species’ behaviour. In Colombia, the species is considered as Vulnerable and in the Northern area of the country (La Guajira) there are no studies focussed on it. In this paper, observations on L. longicaudis behaviour in the wild were made, as a first approach to it, while occurrence studies were carried out in the area.  Observations were made in 2015 during the dry or non-raining season (February), in the middle and lower course of the Palomino River. Five observation sites were established along the river, and the observation method implemented was ad libitum sampling. As a result, a total of 31 different behaviours were recorded, from which immersion, breathing after immersion, superficial swimming and foraging were most frequent at 16%, 15.6%, 12.8%, and 10.7% respectively.
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Spotted-Necked Otter (Hydrictis maculicollis) Distribution and Determining Factors of Habitat Occurrence in the Lower Ouémé Valley, Southern Benin
Pages 48 - 60 (Report)
Samson Dognimon, Chabi A.M.S. Djagoun,Sylvie Djego, Hugues A. Akpona, Julien Djego, Jean Didier T. Akpona, and Brice Sinsin
Spotted-necked otters (Hydrictis maculicollis) are present in several major river systems in southern Benin, and their environmental requirements link them to food and water security issues as the region is so densely populated by humans. The lack of baseline data on their distribution and ecology is another major constraint that the species is facing in Benin. The present study aims to determine otter’s distribution and factors affecting the habitat selection in a highly human impacted environment. We conducted a survey on Spotted-necked otter presence/absence in the localities in the lower Ouémé valley in Southern Benin using the non-probabilistic “snowball” sampling method. We then assess the habitat and environmental requirements of Spotted-necked otter from field observations. The spotted-necked otter has shown a wide distribution in southern Benin with the presence signs confirmed in 89% of recorded sites from local perception. According to variables explaining the presence only habitat characteristics such as vegetation cover was significant. The Spotted-necked otter did show a surprising flexibility in their environmental requirements. Our results demonstrate a high adaptability of a threatened carnivore to altered landscapes and show how this flexible behavior opens opportunities for recovery.
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