IUCN Otter Specialist Group . . . leading global otter conservation Last Update: Thursday November 22, 2018
 
 
[Home]

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

Volume 20 Issue 2 Pages 58 - 90 (October 2003)

Abstracts

Natural Deaths Of Giant Otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) In Balbina Hydroelectric Lake, Amazonas, Brazil
Pages 62- 64 (Report)
Fernando César Weber Rosas, Gália Ely De Mattos
Abstract
In 1987 the Brazilian Northern Electric Company (ELETRONORTE) finished damming the Uatumã River that formed the 3,246 km2 lake (containing 3,299 islands) of the Balbina hydroelectric power station. In 2001, through a project entitled "Social organization, behavior and diet of the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) in the influenced area of Balbina hydroelectric power station, Amazonas, Brazil", the authors started to study giant otters in the reservoir (de MATTOS et al., 2002; ZUANON et al., 2002). Despite being an enormous area, we managed to record two dead otters in the lake.
Contents | Full Text + Links | PDF (90 K)

Recent Records For The Neotropical River Otter (Lontra longicaudis) In Guerrero, Mexico.
Pages 65 - 68 (Report)
Jiménez R. E. Maldonado, C. A. López González
Abstract
New neotropical otter records were obtained opportunistically whilst carrying out a field survey between August 2002 and April 2003. The study area was located in the southwestern portion of the Mexican State of Guerrero, encompasses an area of 11,594 km2, and includes the municipalities (local government entities) of Coyuca de Benítez, Atoyac de Álvarez, San Jerónimo de Juárez, Tecpan, Petatlán, Zihuatanejo and La Unión. These municipalities constitute the region known as Costa Grande, located between 17°00'-17°58' N latitude and 100°00'-101°45' W longitude (Fig. 1). The presence of neotropical otters was confirmed through interviews with ranchers, hunters and tanneries (LÓPEZ-GONZÁLEZ and BROWN, 2002; McNAB and POLISAR, 2002). Physical records (skins, skulls, and captive individuals) were documented through photographs. The records were plotted on a 1:250,000 map using ArcView 3.2a (ESRI 1999), creating a geographic information system that included vegetation (PALACIO-PRIETO et al., 2000), elevation and human settlement layers (CONABIO, 2003).
Contents | Full Text + Links | PDF (120 K)

Camera Trap Use For Studying Giant Otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) In The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, Ecuadorian Amazon
Pages 69 - 71 (Report)
Víctor Utreras, Luis Pinos
Abstract:
Since January 2003, during field surveys of giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) carried out in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (north-eastern Ecuadorian Amazon), we have been testing the use of camera traps as a supplementary technique for studying this species. Camera traps are used for population monitoring of several medium to large size wildlife species. This technique can also provide information about home range size, habitat use, and behavioural activities such as daily and seasonal movements and activity periods. In addition, it is possible to identify many individuals through distinctive features using camera traps activated by the individuals themselves.
Contents | Full Text + Links | PDF (104 K)

Return to Contents