Changes in otter Lutra lutra distribution in Central Spain in the 1964–1995 period

Cortés, Yolanda; Fernández-Salvador, Rosa; Garcı́a, Francisco; Virgós, Emílio; Llorente, M

doi:10.1016/s0006-3207(98)00009-3

Cited by 24 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…It is an opportunistic feeder, with a preference for fish but a broad 6 range of other possible prey (crayfish, amphibians, insects, small birds and mammals) (Kruuk et al, 1997). A recovery of otter has been observed in the last decades for most of its Western European distribution, recorded for Central Spain (Cortés et al, 1998), Southern Spain (Clavero et al, 2010), Italy (Loy et al, 2009) and France (Lemarchand et al, 2007) after many decades of decline (Lodé, 1993). The Loire river basin represents one of the few West-European areas where a core of historical population persisted.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated modelling of functional and structural connectivity of river corridors for European otter recovery

Looy

Piffady

Cavillon

et al. 2014

Ecological Modelling

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated modelling of functional and structural connectivity of river corridors for European otter recovery

Looy

Piffady

Cavillon

et al. 2014

Ecological Modelling

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“…In the view that otter populations can only be sustained through sufficient gene flow in a minimum viable population level (Soulé, 1987), the multi-scale human effect potentially magnifies the challenge of resolving the human-otter conflicts, as already suggested by several authors for otter (Macdonald & Mason, 1983a;Kruuk, 1995;Cortés et al, 1998) and for other top carnivores (Bissonette & Broekhuizen, 1995). This multiscale effect reflects the complex contagious nature of human populations.…”

Section: Roads and Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The multi-scale approach requires the identification of features common to all scales, which restricts the list of candidates to more general features. Various European studies have suggested the effects of the prey base (Kruuk & Conroy, 1991;Sidorovich, 1991;Kruuk et al, 1993), road mortality (Rosoux et al, 1996;Ansorge, Schipke & Zinke, 1997;Cortés et al, 1998;Philcox et al, 1999), pollutants (Chanin & Jefferies, 1978;Mason & Macdonald, 1986;Kruuk, 1995;Mason, 1996) and overexploitation (Sidorovich, 1991), as well as the importance of catchment basin configuration (Macdonald & Mason, 1983a;Ottino & Giller, 2000), all dynamic variables difficult to document uniformly across an international scale. The choice and degree of precision of habitat variables are further limited by the fact that economy, wildlife policy, otter history and disturbance sources, both historic and current, differ among European countries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Otter, Lutra lutra, occurrence in Europe and in France in relation to landscape characteristics

Robitaille

Laurence

2002

Animal Conservation

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In recent decades, the abundance of otter, Lutra lutra, decreased in many European countries. This study aimed at determining if varying occurrence of otters is related to land features and if this occurs at many spatial scales. Values of landscape features were compared among three categories of otter occurrence, i.e. absent, sporadic and common, for 25 European countries, for 19 regions and 22-40 departments in France. At all scales, significantly higher human and road densities were detected in areas where otters are absent, which illustrates the pervasive impact of human presence on otter population fragmentation. Moreover, particular natural features ('percentage other use' defined as nonagricultural and non-forested) may also limit otter populations at the scale of Europe. Our study failed to detect significant differences in landscapes occupied by common or sporadic otter populations, probably owing to a limited sample size, or to the resilience of otters. The conservation of the European otter in Europe would benefit from an improved list of common large-scale land descriptors, the recognition of large gaps of naturally unsuitable habitats, and the development of international large-scale conservation studies to support existing regional otter conservation efforts.

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“…The Eurasian otter (Figure a) is a top predator and key species in the aquatic community of European inland waters (Almeida et al, ; Clavero, Hermoso, Brotons, & Delibes, ; Ruiz‐Olmo & Jimenez, ). It is widespread and relatively common in the Iberian Peninsula (Blanco, ; Cortes, Fernandez‐Salvador, Garcia, Virgos, & Llorente, ) where it feeds principally on fish or crayfish depending on availability (Campos, Fernandez, Gutierrez‐Corchero, Martin‐Santos, & Santos, ; Delibes & Adrian, ). In places where otters are not persecuted or disturbed by people, otters can be active during daytime (mostly early morning but sometimes throughout the day), a diurnal behaviour that can facilitate their observation.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commensal association of the common kingfisher with foraging Eurasian otters

Mougeot

Ramiro²

2019

Ethology

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Positive interactions between birds and mammals are a fascinating aspect of animal behaviour. Feeding associations may consist of local enhancement or facilitation, and in the latter case, of commensalism or mutualism depending on the benefits received by the facilitator. We report here on a previously undescribed feeding association between piscivorous birds and Eurasian otters Lutra lutra. In Spain, common kingfisher Alcedo atthis and grey heron Ardea cinerea were observed closely following foraging otters and benefited from feeding opportunities provided by these. Behavioural observations of otters in central Spain (28.4 hr; 19 days) revealed that an association with kingfishers occurred in 33% of otter foraging events (n = 92). Simultaneous observations in northern Spain (14.2 hr; 16 days) showed an association between otters and kingfishers or grey herons in 41.6% and 11.7% of otter foraging events (n = 77), respectively. The association probability between kingfishers and otters increased significantly when otters foraged closer to the shore and on small fish rather than other prey (crayfish or large fish). Birds fed on prey remain left by the feeding otters, on small fish captured by otters when these were satiated and playing, or on prey displaced by otters. Our observations are consistent with facilitation and commensalism: piscivorous birds gained feeding opportunities provided by the otters, with no apparent costs or benefits to the latter. Similar feeding associations have been described between other species of otters and piscivorous birds (kingfishers, herons, egrets, storks) in Asia, South America and Southern Africa, but had not yet been described in Europe. The occurrence of piscivorous bird–otter associations in different species and regions suggests that this commensalism may be often overlooked but widespread. We have shown that the association can be frequent and is context‐dependent, with benefits for associating birds depending on otters´ behaviour and targeted prey.

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Changes in otter Lutra lutra distribution in Central Spain in the 1964–1995 period

Cited by 24 publications

References 5 publications

Integrated modelling of functional and structural connectivity of river corridors for European otter recovery

Integrated modelling of functional and structural connectivity of river corridors for European otter recovery

Otter, Lutra lutra, occurrence in Europe and in France in relation to landscape characteristics

Commensal association of the common kingfisher with foraging Eurasian otters

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