IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Volume 39 Issue 3 (September 2022)
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.
Laura Bonesi, United Kingdom: I have been working on the Eurasian otter for many years, studying it in the UK and supporting its conservation in Italy. I have led for many years a monitoring system for otter road casualties in Italy and contributed to the drafting of the Italian Otter Action Plan. I have now shifted my focus to a broader subject as I now work mostly on ecosystem restoration.
Nicole Delgado, Chile : I currently have a degree in Marine Biology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. In my academic career, I have researched biological, social and geographical issues in the Chilean otters Lontra felina and Lontra provocax. I know that these areas are transversal to all otters in the world. Therefore, I would also like to contribute with my knowledge to other otter species, especially endangered species.
Tamara Huerta, Chile: I am doing research on the endangered sea otter species Lontra felina, also known by the local name Chungungo, particularly the characterization of their burrows and the description of the subtidal habitat. I am founder and CEO of Fundación Chungungo: Our mission is to protect areas of high ecological and cultural value along the Chilean coasts, starting in our local territory of Biobío, in the hope of expanding our impact at a regional and national scale in the future. Our activities include research, knowledge dissemination, and education, with a focus on sustainable development.
Vinni Jain, India: I am a Research Fellow with the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore and have done a very interesting project on otters in the Central India river ecosystem; much of the riparian habitat wasn’t surveyed for otters earlier or in the recent past and my project established the presence of Eurasian Otters there (with a number of camera trap images) and likely incidences of hunting and conflict with fishermen. Preliminary results indicate that Eurasian otters are widespread in the Kanha-Pench area of Central India, an important finding which would expand the current assumed range of the species in India.
Giridhar Malla, India: I am founder member of the “Godavari Fishing Cat Project”, a partner of the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance. I work on the long term conservation of Fishing Cats and Smooth Coated Otters in the Godavari riverine habitats of Andhra Pradesh, regularly interacting with local fishing communities to raise awareness and influence perceptions of these animals.
Salami Olalekan, Nigeria: I am almost through with my MSc in Wildlife Ecology and Rangeland Management with research interest in the “Occurrence Pattern, Threat and Conflict with Humans of Otter and African Manatee”, along the longest coastline in Nigeria (Ondo State), which I am doing in collaboration with the African Otter Network. I am currently working on community-based otter conservation in this area, including school otter clubs.
Filipa Paiva, Germany: I am a Post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover) in Büsum, Germany. I am working on the dietary analyses of the European otter, identifying fish remains in the stomachs of dead animals found on the side of the road or by analysing otter spraints. In the next years I will be involved in several projects investigating ecology, potential conflicts with fisheries and conservation measures related to the return of the Eurasian otter to Schleswig-Holstein.
Carla Pozzo, Argentina: Since 2009, I have been actively working in research applied to conservation, in management of the conservation problems, and tasks of environmental education with the population of freshwater huillines (Southern River Otters, Lontra provocax) in Argentina. I am the Coordinator of a conservation project for Southern River Otters in the Nahuel Huapi National Park .
Jo Rockingham, United Kingdom: I am an Associate Director at Tetra Tech Europe, with 22 years’ experience of Eurasian otter survey and mitigation for projects including utilities, housing and commercial, mining and quarrying. As a former countryside ranger I organised otter guided walks, mammal tracking activities and wildlife crime events with the Lothian & Borders Police Force as part of PAW Scotland. My areas of interest include otter resting places, including seasonal timing and duration of use, type of use, and better definition of resting places and natal holts; and shared otter and mink habitat use.