Fall 2001
The River Otter in Missouri
From endangered through reintroduction to trapping, Missouri's North
American river otter story is long and controversial to some.
Searching for Otters (in the U.S.)
An otter encounter in the U.S.
Tracking Tips...Otters and Other Critters
Want to know how to find otters? Check out this great guide by Paul
Polechla, Jr., Ph.D.
Update on African Otters
Dr. Jo Thompson updates us on African Otters from the 14 August 2001
IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group workshop.
Otter Updates
By Tracy Johnston
The Ocean Journey
Conservation Program has given approval to fund three river otter research/reintroduction-related
proposals
1.) Dr. Paul Polechla will study the presence of river otters and
habitat suitability on the Rio Grande and its tributaries in south central
Colorado near the New Mexico border.
2.) Drs. Nathan Nibbelink, Merav Ben-David, and Gail M. Blundell will
complete a Spatial Model of Dispersion to study the feasibility and
rate of natural recolonization of river otters following reintroduction
programs.
3.) Dr. Ben-David will oversee a population survey for river otters
in Rocky Mountain National Park conducted by the University of Wyoming's
Student Chapter of Wildlife Society.
The Wildlife
Conservation Society Research Fellowship Program (RFP)
RFP) awards small grants to field research projects leading directly
to the conservation of threatened wildlife and wildlife habitat. The
RFP will support fieldwork on a wide spectrum of wildlife species, habitats,
and conservation issues. The RFP does not support research in North
America, Australia or Europe. For more information or an application,
contact:
Program Coordinator, Research Fellowship Program
Wildlife Conservation Society
2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460
ph: 718-220-6828; fax: 718-364-4275
e-mail: fellowship@wcs.org
web: wcs.org/home/wild/researchfellowship/4596
Applications must be post-marked by January 1 or July 1 of every year.
The New York
River Otter Project Celebrates
The New York River Otter Project's Board of Directors hosted a June
9, 2001, celebration of the river otters' successful return to Central
and Western New York. The celebration honored the 100+ persons who volunteered
approximately 54,000 hours on the six-year acquisition stage of the
project, which spanned from1995-2001. Biologist Dennis Money from Rochester
Gas & Electric Corporation heads the project. Visit the River Otter
Project web site at www.nyotter.org for highlights on the reintroduction
program.
| Lillie at five weeks old. Photo by Tracy Johnston |
Sexy Sadie's
River Otter Pups Begin Working
Sexy Sadie's river otter pups, Lyle and Lillie,
born on March 7, 2001, at the Rocky Mountain Ark Wildlife Rehabilitation
Center, have already begun work representing their species. The pups
have attended numerous educational and other functions this past summer
and fall, including the Colorado Division of Wildlife's river otter
population survey training and a volunteer appreciation luncheon. The
third pup, a male, did not survive.
Lyle (top) and Lyle and Lillie (bottom) at ten weeks old.
Photos by Toni Leuthold
More Otter Updates - Fall 2001!