IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin

© IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group

Volume 33 Issue 2 (October 2016)

Abstracts

Notes on the Occurrence of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra L.) in the Forest of Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, India
Pages 59 - 63 (Short Communication)
Jyotirmay Jena, Dhirendra Bhargava, Jimmy Borah and Soumen Dey
Eurasian otter presence was recorded in Balaghat forest range of Madhya Pradesh while conducting camera trapping study for large carnivores. The species shows a wide spread distribution from Europe, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Northern Africa, South East Asia. Though Eurasian otters have been recorded from Northern and Southern India, this is the first ever photo capture of Eurasian otter from Balaghat Forest Circle of Madhya Pradesh state in Central India
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Densities of Otters in the Drakensberg of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
Pages 64 - 67 (Report)
David Rowe-Rowe
Cape clawless otters Aonyx capensis and spotted-necked otters Lutra maculicollis were studied on three rivers in the Drakensberg Park, South Africa. Densities of clawless otters were between 1/2.5 km and 1/0.7 km. For spotted-necked otters densities were between 1/5 km and 1/0.45 km.
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Confirmed Sighting of Lutra sumatrana in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve in Kedah, Malaysia
Pages 68 - 72 (Short Note)
Fariman Salahshour
A hairy-nosed otter was observed swimming in the Labua River at Kuala Labua (confluence of Labua and Muda rivers and location of Earth Lodge) in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve, which is part of a 160k ha area of tropical rainforest in the state of Kedah in northern Malaysia. The sighting might be significant insofar that this is the first confirmed record of the species in the state of Kedah as well as for the habitat type. Other sightings and scientific literature generally associate the species with peat swamp forest. In this instance, the animal was observed in the small, clear, and fairly fast-flowing Labua river. No peat swamp habitat type is known in the immediate area.
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Photographic Records of Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra from the Central Indian Landscape
Pages 73 - 78 (Report)
Aditya S. Joshi, Vivek M. Tumsare, Anil K. Nagar, Ashok K. Mishra, and Milind P. Pariwakam
The Eurasian otter Lutra lutra is listed as one of the three otter species found in India, while clear photographic evidence of the species has been wanting even from the reported locations such as from the Himalayan foothills and the southern Western Ghats. We report photographic evidence of presence of Lutra lutra from camera-trap images taken in the Satpura Tiger Reserve in the state of Madhya Pradesh. This finding extends the known geographical range of the Eurasian otter to central India.
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First Systematic Survey for Otter (Lutra lutra) in Ladakh, Indian Trans Himalayas
Pages 79 - 85 (Report)
Pushpinder Singh Jamwal, Jigmit Takpa, Pankaj Chandan and Melissa Savage
We report the findings of the first survey for Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from the Upper Indus River and several of its tributaries in Leh and Kargil Districts, India. The survey was conducted between 25th August to 30th October, 2015. We report the distribution of otter sign, including camera trap images, scats, tracks, and latrines, and the habitat characteristics along 50 km of riverbank. We observed indirect sign of otter presence on two of the four rivers surveyed, but otter abundance appears to be low in the area. Human disturbance, including proximity to settlements, grazing livestock, and particularly feral dogs, appears to deter otter presence.
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Home Alone: Records of Abandonment of Still-Dependent Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and Neotropical Otter (Lontra longicaudis) Individuals in Brazilian Amazon
Pages 86 - 95 (Report)
Natalia Camps Pimenta, Adrian Paul Ashton Barnett, Stella Maris Lazzarini, Daniella Carvalho Ribiero, Claudiane dos Santos Ramalheira and Fernando Cesar Weber Rosas
Despite the increase of Lutrinae studies, the knowledge of some behaviors remains limited, especially those that are rarely seen. This study presents three cases of cub abandonment by Pteronura brasiliensis, and one for Lontra longicaudis. The three cases of giant otter abandonment occurred in nutrient poor habitats. The neotropical otter case may be related to cub illness. The current reports, and any future reports they encourage, could be important when developing conservation plans for these species, since natural deaths may have implications for population dynamics. Such reports could also contribute to an understanding of the circumstances surrounding abandonment behavior.
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Camera Sighting of Congo Clawless Otter in the Midst of a Rapid Development on Mainland Equatorial Guinea
Pages 96-101 (Short Note)
Kristin E. Brzeski, Jared D. Wolfe, Cayetano Ebana Ebana, Jacob C. Cooper, and Luke L. Powell
Mainland Equatorial Guinea is undergoing rapid infrastructure development driven by the discovery of large oil reserves within the country’s maritime political boundaries. The country recently began implementing Horizonte 2020, a national development project that includes a vast highway network and creation of a new capital city. Road construction has quickly increased access to previously remote forest regions, resulting in intensified bushmeat hunting and logging. The status of sensitive wildlife, such as river otters, is poorly known but populations are likely susceptible to demographic declines due to rapid development and habitat loss. In January 2016, the Biodiversity Initiative, a non-governmental organization conducting wildlife surveys on mainland Equatorial Guinea, captured an image of a Congo clawless otter (Aonyx congicus) in primary forest. This detection represents the first attempt in recent years to assess otters in Equatorial Guinea, and combined with future work, will serve as a benchmark for assessing Congo clawless otter vulnerability to development in Equatorial Guinea.
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