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Volume 17 Issue 2 Pages 59 - 99
(October 2000)
Citation: Reuther, C. & Dolev, A.(2000)New
Findings of Otters (Lutra lutra) in Israel IUCN Otter Spec.
Group Bull. 17(2): 80 - 82
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New Findings of Otters (Lutra lutra) in
Israel
Claus Reuther1 and Amit Dolev2
1
Aktion Fischotterschutz e.V., OTTER-ZENTRUM, D-29386 Hankensbüttel,
Germany, e-mail: c.reuther@otterzentrum.de
2 Israel Mammal Centre, Society for
Protection of Nature of Israel (S.P.N.I.), Galil Field School, P.O.B.
483, 20100 Karmiel, Israel, e-mail: dolevamit@yahoo.com
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Abstract: Until the mid 20th century,
otters were abundant in the coastal regions and long the Jordan
River. Hunting by fish breeders, water pollution and
drainage work has dramatically reduced the population. The
authors found evidence of otters along the Jordan down to the Dead
Sea, continuing the work done in Jordan. Because of arid
conditions, this may be an isolated population. More work is
needed to clarify this.
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Up to the middle of the 20th century, otters were abundant in Israel
in all coastal regions from the Lebanese border to Tel-Aviv region, and
along the Jordan River from the initiation up to the Dead Sea including
the Hula Lake and Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). Connecting corridor
between these regions consist on Harod valley and Israel valley which is
found between Bet She'an and Haifa. However, hunting by fish breeders,
water pollution and draining of streams in most of Israel, caused a
dramatic decline in its populations (MENDELSSOHN
and YOM-TOV, 1999).
Little information about the current distribution of the otter has
been published since the first initial survey by MACDONALD
et al. (1986). They summarised the situation as: "Virtually
extirpated in the coastal regions. Good populations still exist in the
Jordan River catchment, including Lake Tiberias (= Lake Kinneret or Sea
of Galilee; author's remark), but because almost the entire population
is concentrated in the one system, it must be considered threatened.
Within the system, otters occur in uplands, agricultural lowlands, and
fish ponds." (FOSTER-TURLEY et al., 1990).
From December 1999 until June 2000 DOLEV (in prep.) carried out a
survey covering 153 sites. Of these, 56 sites (36,6%) were found
positive. The detailed results will be published elsewhere. During this
survey no signs of otters were found in the western parts of Israel and
in the Jordan River catchment south of the Lake Kinneret (Sea of
Galilee), accept sites near Bet She'an (Harod valley).
A field trip of both authors, carried out on October 6-7, 2000,
offered the opportunity to re-survey several sites in these areas. Signs
of otters were found at three rivers in the western part of Israel in
the coastal region near Haifa. These observations confirm sporadic
reports of local people that otters have been observed on the coast of
the Mediterranean Sea. No signs of otters were found directly at the
outlet of the Sea of Galilee. This area is intensively used for
recreation activities. Possibly this is a reason for little chance in
finding signs of otters. Two sites were found positive along the Jordan
River between Lake Kinneret and the border to Jordan. These findings
closed the gap in the findings made by REUTHER
et al. (2000b) at the river Yarmuk in the east and those parts of
the Jordan River in the south which form the border between Israel and
Jordan. Now we have new evidence of otter occupancy along all the
southern Jordan River down to the Dead Sea. These data have been
transferred to ISOS (Information System for Otter Surveys; REUTHER
et al., 2000a) on the base of the UTM 10km-grid (Fig.
1).
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Figure 1. Otter distribution in Israel
on the base of the UTM 10km-grid resulting from surveys of DOLEV
(in prep.) and REUTHER et al. (2000b).
(click for larger version) |
The Israel otter population is of great importance because of two
reasons:
- Together with the Jordanian otter population it forms the
south-eastern border of the Mediterranean-Arab range of the Eurasian
otter (REUTHER et al., 2000b).
- Comparing the distribution of otters and the presence of permanent
running or standing waters (including fish ponds) in Israel it is
obvious that otters have to overpass long distances without any
waters or to use the coast of the Mediterranean Sea migration - if
the otter occurrences are connected. This phenomenon needs further
investigation.
REFERENCES
Foster-Turley, P., Macdonald, S., Mason, C.
1990. Otters - An Action Plan for their Conservation. IUCN, Gland,
126pp.
Macdonald, S.M., Mason, C.F., Shalmon, B.
1986. A survey for otters in Israel. Oryx 20, 233-236.
Mendelssohn, H., Yom-tov, Y. 1999.
Fauna Palaestina - Mammalia of Israel. Keter press, Jerusalem, 439pp.
Reuther, C., Dolch, D., Green, R., Jahrl,
J., Jefferies, D., Krekemeyer, A., Kucerova, M., Madsen, A.B.,
Romanowski, J., Roche, K., Ruiz-Olmo, J., Teubner, J., Trindade, A.
2000a. Surveying and Monitoring Distribution and Population Trends
of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra). Habitat 12,
152pp.
Reuther, C., Rifal, L., Qarcas, M., Abu
Baker, M., Amr, S.Z. 2000b. Results of an initial field survey for
otters (Lutra lutra) in Jordan.
IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 17 (2), 75-79.
Resumen: Nuevos registros de nutrias
(Lutra lutra) en Israel
Hasta mediados del siglo XX las nutrias eran abundantes en Israel en
todas las regiones costeras, desde el límite con el Líbano hasta la
región de Tel-Aviv y a lo largo del Río Jordán, desde su inicio hasta
el Mar Muerto, incluyendo los lagos Hula y Kinneret (Mar de Galilea).
Sin embargo, la caza, la polución del agua y el drenaje de arroyos en
la mayor parte de Israel causó una declinación dramática en sus
poblaciones. En 1986 MacDonald et al. consideraban que las nutrias
habían sido virtualmente extirpadas de las regiones costeras pero que
mantenían buenas poblaciones en el Río Jordán, incluyendo el Lago
Tiberias (Lago Kinneret o Mar de Galilea). Dado que toda la población
está concentrada en un solo sistema, sugerían considerarla amenazada.
Entre Diciembre de 1999 y Junio de 2000 se llevó a cabo un relevamiento
que cubrió 153 sitios. Cincuenta y seis de estos (el 36,6%) resultaron
positivos. Durante dicho relevamiento no se encontraron signos de
nutrias en las zonas occidentales de Israel ni en el Río Jordán al sur
del Lago Kinneret. Una salida de campo en Octubre de 2000 permitió
relevar nuevamente varios sitios en esas zonas. Se encontraron signos de
nutrias en 3 ríos en la zona costera de la parte occidental de Israel,
cerca de Haifa, confirmando reportes esporádicos de registros en la
costa mediterránea por parte de habitantes locales. No hubo registros
en la zona del Mar de Galilea. Esa área es usada intensamente para
actividades recreativas lo que posiblemente disminuye las probabilidades
de encontrar rastros de nutrias. La población de nutrias de Israel es
importante por 2 motivos: 1- junto con la población de Jordania
constituyen el límite sudoriental de la distribución árabe -
mediterránea de la nutria europea; 2 - comparando la distribución de
las nutrias y la presencia de cursos de agua permanentes, para estar
conectadas, éstas tienen que desplazarse largas distancias a lo largo
de áreas sin agua, o utilizar el Mar Mediterráneo. Este fenómeno
requiere ser investigado.
Vuelva a la tapa
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