Abstract

GONZALEZ-CHRISTEN, Alvar; DELFIN-ALFONSO, Christian Alejandro  and  SOSA-MARTINEZ, Alicia. Distribution and abundance of the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis annectens Major, 1897) at Catemaco Lake, Veracruz, México. Therya [online]. 2013, vol.4, n.2, pp.201-217. ISSN 2007-3364.  https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-13-125.

The Neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis annectes) is a carnivore of wide distribution, poorly studied and their populations are subjected to considerable pressure all over its range, the otter is closely linked to shore ecosystems, therefore a description of the their distribution is basic to allow conservation. By knowing the otter's preferred locations, it will be possible to identify high-priority sites for its conservation. The aim of this contribution was to study the distribution and estimate the relative abundance of the Neotropical river otter at the Catemaco Lake, Veracruz, México. Four lineal transects (each 5 km long) were established, where we recorded scats and spraints. We registered a total of 765 scats, 149 spraints and 13 otters were located. The relative mean abundance of the otter for Catemaco Lake was determined as 1 otter/km, we recorded otter presence all over the Lake's shore. Despite having found this evidence, we considered their risks are poorly understood, therefore it is necessary to continue research, management and conservation programs for the species and its habitat to ensure their survival.

Keywords : Conservation; "Los Tuxtlas"; Mustelid; Neotropical otter; Scats; Sign survey; Spraint; Tropical rainforest.

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