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Volume 8 Pages 1 - 47 (February 1993)
Citation: Reuther, C. (1993) Aktion
Fischotterschutz e. V. (German Campaign for Otter Protection):
Activities 1992). IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 8: 21 - 22
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Aktion Fischotterschutz e. V. (German Campaign
for Otter Protection): Activities 1992
Claus Reuther
Otter-Zentrum, Postfach 1216,
W-3122 Hankensbüttel, Germany
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Abstract: This report covers captive animal
studies during period, studies in the wild including one on
avoidance of otter road traffic casualties commisioned by the
Ministry of Traffic, which will be used to inform new highway
building, two surveys and a pollution assay in 6 states showing
poor otter numbers correlate with higher PCB levels. A habitat
management programme, Otter 2000, establishing migration corridors
for otters was initiated. There has been good progress with the
revitalisation of the River Ise. The Otter-Zentrum itself has had
a very good year, with high visitor numbers and many new births.
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RESEARCH IN CAPTIVITY
At the research station in Hankensbüttel, the following main studies
were completed, continued or started (Rogoschik
1992):
- a morphological study of the organs of Lutra lutra (Zogall
1992);
- an ethological study on the marking behaviour of Lutra lutra
(Heins 1992);
- an ethological study on the prey catching behaviour of Lutra
lutra, which will run until 1995;
- a long-term study on the ontogeny of otter cubs born in captivity,
which includes 8 litters;
- a study on PCB levels in spraints of otters in captivity was
started in 1992 (Reuther 1992b) and will
be continued in 1993.
RESEARCH IN THE WILD
- In cooperation with the ministry of environment of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
(a federal state in the north of East-Germany) a telemetry study has
been started in 1992. To date one female otter has been caught and
tracked.
- By order of the Federal Ministry of Traffic a study was started to
avoid traffic accidents with otters. This problem is increasing in
East-Germany after the German reunification. The results of this
study - which will be finished at the end of 1993 - shall be taken
into account when all the new highways will be built which are
planned by the government.
SURVEYS
- A survey using the standard method in Lower-Saxony (a federal
state in the north of West-Germany) was finished in autumn 1992.
Of 938 sites only 18 (1,9 %) were found positive (Binner
et al., in prep.).
- In December 1992 a two-year survey using the standard method was
started in Mecklenburg-Vorpommem. Appr. 1000 sites will be surveyed.
POLLUTION
- 133 otter spraints from 6 German federal states where analyzed for
the pesticides Lindane, Dieldrin and DDE and for PCBs to get an
overview of the potential contaminant burden of otters via their
prey. The data give the impression that in areas where otter
populations are not thriving or not increasing the majority of
spraints show a higher pollution burden than in areas where the
populations are stable or increasing (Reuther
& Mason 1992).
HABITAT MANAGEMENT
At a meeting entitled "Otter Protection in Germany" on
September 5-6, 1992 where more than 70 people working in otter
conservation participated, an otter habitat network programme was
presented. It is based upon the idea of migration corridors which shall
guide otters from the increasing populations in East Germany to the
fragmentary populations in the west. With this programme "Otter
2000" a network of otter habitats will be established (Reuther
1992c).
RIVER ISE PROJECT
The revitalisation of the river Ise network (now more than 450 km
long) makes good progress. More than 100 ha of property on both sides of
the main river were bought and changed from industrial to alternative
agriculture. More than 15 km of hedges and riparian forest were planted.
A team of 6 scientists and several students or external experts has done
a lot of scientific studies within this project (Prauser
et al., 1992, Reuther 1992d).
OTTER CENTRE
In 1992 more than 112 000 people visited the Hankensbüttel Otter
Centre, that means that since its opening in 1988 more than 500 000
visitors have come to this nature conservation education centre. A now
stonemarten enclosure for the public was opened in 1992.
BREEDING
Two litters of Lutra lutra were born on September 22 (1,1) and
November 8 (2,1). These increase the number of litters born in the otter
centre since 1988 to 6 and the number of cubs to 13. At the end of 1992.
19 otters were kept at the otter centre.
REFERENCES
Binner. U., Reuther, C & Blanke, D. (in
prep) Zur Verbreitungssituation des Fischotters in Niedersachsen
- Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege in Niedersachsen.
Heins, B. (1992). Untersuchungen zum
Markierungsverhalten das Europäischen Fischotters Lutra lutra (Linne,
1758) unter Gehegebedingungen. Dissertation Tierärztliche Hochschule
Hannover
Prauser, N., Bausch, B., Dreier, B., Fendrich,
U., Sander, R. & Wesseler, E. (1992). Revitalisierung in der
Ise-Nierderung Teil B: Landschaftsbewertung und Szenarien.- Habitat
No. 5, 194 pp.
Reuther, C., Ed. (1992a). Otterschutz In
Deutschland. Habitat No. 7, 176 pp.
Reuther. C. (1992b). Einige
rnethodenkritische Betrachtungen zur Untersuchung der PCB-Belastung von
Ottern. pp. 163-170 in Reuther, C. (1992a).
Reuther, C. (1992c) Otter 2000 - Eine
Vision für den Otterschut In Deutschland. pp 113-126 In: Reuther, C.
(1992a).
Reuther, C. (1992d) Das E + E-Vorhaben
"Revitalisierung in der Ise-Niederung - Biotopvernatzung am
Beispiel der Leittierart Fischotter" pp. 85-92. In: Reuther,
C (1992a).
Reuther, C, & Mason, C.F. (1992).
Erste Ergebnisse von Kotanalysen zue Schadstoff-Belastung deutscher
Otter pp. 7-21. In: Reuther, C (1992a).
Rogoschik, B. (1992). Überblick über
die Forschungsarbeiten am Eurasischen Fischotter In den
Forschungsgehegen der Aktion Fischotterschutz e.V. pp. 23-27. In Reuther,
C. (1992a)
Zogal, A. (1992). Morphologie und
topographische Anatomie def Brust-, Bauch, und Beckenhohlenorgane des
Eurasischen Fischotters (Lutra lutra L. 1758). Dissertation
Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover
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