Volume 8 Pages 1 - 47 (February 1993)

Citation: Rowe-Rowe, D. (1993) Current Otter Studies in South Africa. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 8: 9 - 10

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Current Otter Studies in South Africa

David Rowe-Rowe

Natal Parks Board, P 0 Box 662, Pietsrmaritzburg, 3200 South Africa

Two studies on South African otters are currently being undertaken: one in the Cape Province and the other in Natal.

In the Cape Province Jan Nel and Michael Somers, of University of Stellenbosch, are continuing research on the clawless otter Aonyx capensis (see OSG Bulletin 7: 36). The current project. "Otters as bio-indicators in freshwater ecosystems" will run for three years. Surveys of five river systems will be undertaken to investigate otter abundance in relation to prey availability, vegetation characteristics, presence of pollutants in both water and prey, human disturbance, and other possible factors. In one area a more detailed study will be undertaken, concentrating on otter density, dispersion, habitat use, diet and prey availability. Finally, a model will be constructed, based on otter abundance, for predicting levels of habitat disturbance or degradation in other river systems.

Caterina Carugali has started a project in the Natal Drakensberg Park, under supervision by Mike Perrin (University of Natal) and me (Natal Parks Board) on habitat, prey, and area requirements of otters in the Natal Drakensberg. Three rivers within the mountainous 240 000 ha park will be surveyed, as well as at least one stretch of one of these rivers flowing through farmland. The aims of the project are to determine the area requirements (length of stream per individual) of both the clawless otter and the spotted-necked otter Lutra maculicollis; identify characteristics of the habitat and prey availability which influence otter abundance; provide management guidelines and identify areas which can be managed to benefit otters; and formulate an index which can be used to assess other streams.

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