IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group

Volume 9 Pages 1 - 16 (March 1994)

Citation: Blacher, C. (1994) Strategic Reproduction of Lutra longicaudis IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 9: 6

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Strategic Reproduction of Lutra longicaudis

Claudio Blacher

Caixa Postal 5100, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, CEP 88040-970, Brazil

The first recorded live birth of the Lutra longicaudis in captivity occurred at the Curitiba Zoological Park in Paraná, Southern Brazil (Cubas et al. 1993). This occurrence indicates an incidence of notable strategic reproduction in this species.

Three consecutive births occurred to a pair of captive South American River otters (Lutra longicaudis) over a period of eleven months. The male, arrived 1989, estimated at 70 days of age. The female, arrived 1986, age estimated at 70 days. The pair was formed in 1989 at the Curitiba Zoological Park in Paraná, southern Brazil. The first birth, a single infant, occurred on 1 April 1992. It is thought that this birth is likely to have been the first offspring born to this female. The female rejected the infant, and as a result this infant died within 24 hours. It is felt that the presence of the male in the enclosure may have discouraged the female from remaining in the nest (Cubas et al. 1993).

The second birth occurred on 21 July 1992, 110 days after the first birth, resulting in two offspring. These infants were removed for hand-rearing and owing to insufficient dietary supplementation died shortly after the birth. This demonstrates that the occurrence of delayed implantation may not be a reproductive feature of this species of Lutra. This episode suggests that L. longicaudis should be considered a separate species, apart from L. canadensis. This suggestion is in opposition to previously published data suggesting that there is no species differentiation between L. longicaudis and L. canadensis (Davis 1978). With regard to the reproductive biology of the species, delayed implantation has been documented in Lutra canadensis (Hamilton & Eadie 1964), and only presumed in L. longicaudis and L. provocax up to this time.

The third birth occurred on 14 February 1993. It is thought that the new maternity area and physical separation from the male had a positive effect, as the female was successful in raising the infants (Cubas al. 1993).

These three litters distributed over the summer, fall, and winter seasons indicate that this species is capable of reproducing year-round in captivity. Further investigation is required to clarify the reproduction of this species in the wild.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - Sociodade para Pesquisa e Educação Ambiental (SPEA) and Laurie Elaine Neville for translation and typing of this paper.

REFERENCES

Cubas,  Z.S.,  Francisco,  L.R.,  Gomes,  M.L.F.,  Hoerner,  P.G.,  Leite, M.H.P.,  Rutz, Jr.,  A.,
Silva, A.S.F., Silva, M.E.P.F. & Sutil, L.M. (1993).  Criação de lontra (Lutra longicaudis) no
Zoológico de Curitiba.   Informative Abravas, 3: 1.
Davis, J.A. (1978). A classification of otters. In N. Duplaix (ed.), Otters: Proceedings of the first
meeting of the Otter Specialist Group.   IUCN, Morges, pp. 14-33.
Hamilton,   W.J.   &  Fadie,  W.R. (1964) Reproduction  in  the  otter,  Lutra canadensis.  J. Mammalogy, 45: 242-252.

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