Human development can have detrimental impacts on the environment and its contained ecosystems. However, several species have adapted to thrive in human-modified landscapes. This study was aimed to assess habitat selection of threatened smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in the peri-coastal landscape of Goa, India. In the Indian context, there are significant gaps in knowledge pertaining to factors that influence otter occurrence in such environments. Otter presence/absence in 78 1 km2 plots across two river catchments was modelled against several habitat variables including measures of agricultural pollution, salinity, mangrove cover, and fishing presence. The effect size and direction of relationships between the probability of otter occurrence and the habitat variables were analysed by building a set of candidate generalised linear models. The models were subsequently ranked using small-sample Akaike’s information criterion (AICc). Analysis indicated that water salinity, mangrove cover, and fishing presence had a significant positive influence on otter occurrence. However, the concentrations of agricultural pollutants (nitrates, phosphates, and sulphates) were not contributing factors in influencing otter occurrence in the surveyed landscape. The metrics used in this study can be applied for preliminary assessments of presence and occupancy of otters in other coastal landscapes of India, and aid in the conservation of the species.

The Brown Fish-Owl Ketupa zeylonensis is a large nocturnal bird of prey that has a vast distribution range. However, there is a significant literature gap on the ecology of this species in the Western Ghats ecoregion, particularly in regard to its food spectrum. In the present study, we assessed the diet composition of this species in the foothills of the Western Ghats of Goa, India. The diet was evaluated by analysing the undigested prey remains in regurgitated pellets obtained from the banks of forest streams and roosting sites. A total of 104 pellets were collected from two localities that exhibited similar landscape characteristics. Our analysis indicated that crabs contributed to a significant proportion of the diet of the species (75.47%), followed by amphibians (frogs, 8.02%), fishes (7.08%), reptiles (snakes, 2.83%), birds (2.36%), scorpions (1.89%), and insects (Odonata, 0.47%). Additionally, 1.89% (n = 4) of the prey items could not be identified due to their disintegrated nature. Furthermore, an assessment of Food Niche Breadth (FNB) indicated that K. zeylonensis exhibited a high degree of specialization in terms of its diet in the study areas.