Otters: Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation

Cover
......Page 1
Back Cover
......Page 2
Ttitle Page
......Page 5
9780198565864 0198565860  9780198565871 0198565879......Page 6
Dedication
......Page 7
Preface......Page 9
Contents......Page 11
1 Otter ecology and its background......Page 16
Common or Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra......Page 21
River otter, or North American otter, Lontra canadensis......Page 23
Sea otter, Enhydra lutra......Page 25
Giant otter, Pteronura brasiliensis......Page 28
Neotropical otter, Lontra longicaudis......Page 30
Marine otter, or sea cat, Lontra felina......Page 32
Hairy-nosed otter, Lutra sumatrana......Page 34
Smooth-coated or smooth otter, Lutrogale perspicilata......Page 35
Small-clawed otter, Aonyx cinereus......Page 36
Cape clawless otter, Aonyx capensis......Page 38
Congo clawless otter, or swamp otter, Aonyx congicus......Page 40
Spotted-necked otter, Lutra maculicollis......Page 41
Phylogeny and evolution......Page 44
Questions of behaviour and ecology of otters......Page 46
Research methods and field techniques......Page 48
Study areas......Page 51
Methods......Page 54
Fresh or salt water?......Page 55
The aquatic part of the habitat......Page 56
Terrestrial habitat along sea coasts......Page 58
Terrestrial habitats along fresh water: banks and bogs......Page 61
Freshwater habitat in Latin America, Asia and Africa......Page 64
Otter habitat: some general comments......Page 68
Introduction......Page 70
Shetland: organization of Eurasian otters in a marine habitat......Page 71
Organization of Eurasian otters in freshwater areas......Page 76
The social system of North American river otters......Page 77
Social organization of the sea otter......Page 79
Social systems of Latin American otters......Page 81
Social organization of otters in Asia......Page 83
Otter social systems in Africa......Page 84
Social systems of otters: general comments......Page 86
Otter dens, or ‘holts’......Page 88
Introduction......Page 93
Sprainting behaviour and other scent communication......Page 94
Aggressive behaviour......Page 101
Sexual behaviour......Page 103
Family life and parental behaviour......Page 105
Some generalizations on social behaviour of otters......Page 113
Introduction......Page 114
Methods of analysis......Page 115
Diet of Eurasian otters in Shetland......Page 117
Eurasian otter diet elsewhere......Page 122
Quantities and calories consumed by Eurasian otters......Page 126
Diet of the sea otter......Page 127
The food of giant otters......Page 129
Diets of other Latin American otters......Page 130
African otter diets......Page 132
Diets: some generalizations and comments......Page 134
Fish numbers and behaviour in Shetland......Page 135
Observations of fish behaviour in Shetland......Page 138
Trapping and counting fish......Page 139
Selection from prey populations in Shetland......Page 143
Eurasian otters and prey populations in freshwater habitats......Page 145
Effects of Eurasian otters on their prey......Page 147
Ecosystems, and effects of predation by sea otters......Page 149
Prey availability in Asia and Africa......Page 151
Conclusions, and global changes in otters’ resources......Page 152
Fishing behaviour of Eurasian otters......Page 155
Fishing and foraging by North American otters......Page 158
Fishing and foraging by other otter species......Page 160
When to feed: time and tide......Page 163
Foraging success......Page 165
Patch-fishing, prey sites and prey replacement......Page 167
Depth of dives......Page 168
Energetics of foraging......Page 170
The development of foraging behaviour......Page 175
Otter foraging: some conclusions......Page 176
Body temperature......Page 177
Thermo-insulation......Page 180
Washing in fresh water along sea coasts......Page 185
Populations: numbers, changes and genetic diversity......Page 188
Population size......Page 192
Gene flow in otter populations......Page 195
Otter numbers rejuvenated: recruitment......Page 196
Otters in ecosystems, and competition with other species......Page 204
Age structure, life expectancy and rates of mortality......Page 208
Proximate causes of death, and body condition......Page 211
Effects of pollution......Page 215
Food availability, starvation and population limitation......Page 219
Predation on otters......Page 221
Some conclusions......Page 224
What is special about otters?......Page 226
Habitats......Page 227
Foraging......Page 230
Social life......Page 233
Populations......Page 235
Life at the edge of a precipice......Page 237
Further research......Page 238
A changing world......Page 239
Otter vulnerabilities......Page 240
Otter nuisance......Page 241
Exploitation of otters......Page 243
To catch an otter......Page 245
Reintroductions of otters, and conservation genetics......Page 247
Conservation needs of ecosystems......Page 248
Conservation of otter species......Page 252
References......Page 254
E......Page 276
H......Page 277
P......Page 278
S......Page 279
Z......Page 280