Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) prey selection in response to a variation of fish abundance

Remonti, Luigi; Prigioni, Claudio; Balestrieri, Alessandro; Sgrosso, Silvia; Priore, Giuseppe

doi:10.1080/11250000903229809

Cited by 19 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Lanszki et al (2001), for example, found that otters avoided fish living in open water (common carp) or near pond beds (tench [Tinca tinca]) as they are often fast or well-camouflaged. Instead, otters showed a preference for species living amongst aquatic plants (Eurasian perch) or in shallow, littoral regions (Northern pike), where hunting is perhaps easier (see Erlinge 1968;Erlinge 1969;Wise et al 1981;Carss et al 1990;Heggberget and Moseid 1994;Lanszki et al 2001;Ruff 2007;Miranda et al 2008;Remonti et al 2010, for further discussion). In short, selection of prey species by otters will involve trade-offs between these various factors in order to maximise energy gains and hence will be temporally and spatially specific.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fish selection by riverine Eurasian otters in lowland England

Grant

Harrington

2015

Mamm Res

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Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) may conflict with humans using fish stocks for food, income or recreation. Understanding fish selection by otters is important for predicting and managing potential conflicts. We used spraint analysis to describe the diet of Eurasian otters on rivers in the Upper Thames Valley, lowland England, in summer and winter, focusing specifically on the species and size of fish consumed. We assessed the proportion of fish consumed that were of potential commercial or sporting value (the 'Potential Value' category). Within this group, we assessed relative selection for family and length by comparing fish found in otter diet with their local availability. Local availability was estimated from UK Environment Agency electrofishing survey data. Fish represented 46 % (relative frequency of occurrence, RFO) of total otter diet, with fish of Potential Value representing 19 % (RFO). In the Potential Value category, cyprinids were relatively avoided; percids and esocids were relatively preferred. Most (∼80 %) fish prey items originated from fish 4-13 cm in length, 3 % from fish>20 cm. Smaller (0-10 cm) percids and cyprinids, and larger (16-20 cm) esocids, were preferred. In summer, diet was broad, comprising 31 % (RFO) fish, 24 % birds and 14 % crayfish. In winter, diet was predominantly fish (68 % RFO) with crayfish and birds accounting for ∼5 % each. In summer, most fish consumed (70 % RFO) were the relatively slow-swimming common bullhead (Cottus gobio). Significantly more of the fasterswimming cyprinids were consumed in winter, presumably because they are easier to catch when the water is colder.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fish selection by riverine Eurasian otters in lowland England

Grant

Harrington

2015

Mamm Res

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“…La preferencia por estas profundidades es similar a la descrita por otros autores (Madsen & Prang 2001, Remonti et al 2010, Ruiz-Olmo et al 2011.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Estima de la población de nutria en las Tablas de Daimiel mediante captura-recaptura espacial y muestreo de distancias

Jiménez¹,

Carrasco²,

Feliu³

2014

Galemys

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Species management should be based on accurate estimations on the size and density of the target population. In the case of the otter, these estimations are difficult to obtain due to their habitat, low densities and elusiveness, and these have relied mainly on surveys of animal signs or on specific ad hoc methods, and lately, in genotyping. We have applied newly-developed spatial capture-recapture model to estimate the otter population of the Tablas de Daimiel National Park by a spatially explicit capture-recapture of unmarked individuals using camera trapping-data together with distance sampling. The density estimated is 0.557 (±0.317) otters/100 ha, and we have achieved reliable information about activity, movements, and space use.

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“…(). These results differ from the trophic behaviour stated for the otter, which establishes that otters consume each different prey item according to their particular availability (Clavero et al ., ; Remonti et al ., ). Our results are unusual and may be explained by the wide availability of a variety of prey items in the river (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

EFFECTS OF FLOW REGULATION AND NON‐NATIVE SPECIES ON FEEDING HABITS OF EURASIAN OTTER Lutra lutra IN MEDITERRANEAN TEMPORARY RIVERS

Bueno-Enciso

Díaz‐Ruiz

Almeida

et al. 2014

River Research & Apps

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In Mediterranean temporary rivers, ecological resources greatly fluctuate because of the high hydrological variability throughout the year. However, flow regulation prevents this natural regime and commonly entails associated non‐native species, which change the structure of aquatic communities. Nonetheless, few studies have tested the interaction of these two disruptive factors (flow regulation and non‐native species) and their synergistic effects on the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) diet at the river scale. The aim of this study was to compare the seasonal feeding habits of the otter between a temporary non‐regulated stretch and two regulated stretches invaded by non‐native species in a Mediterranean water course. The Bullaque River (Guadiana River Basin, central Spain) was seasonally sampled for otter spraints and prey abundance assessed from December 2009 to November 2010. Three stretches were considered: high (source, non‐regulated), medium (transition, regulated) and low (confluence, regulated). Diet varied from native prey in the high stretch (amphibians, insects and endemic cyprinids) to non‐native species in the low stretch (red‐swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii and pumpkinseed sunfish Lepomis gibbosus). Seasonally, ingested biomass of native prey increased in spring. Diet was more diverse in the high stretch. Otters neutrally selected native cyprinids in the high stretch throughout the year, whereas crayfish was selected in the other two stretches. Overall results showed that flow regulation and non‐native species have increased prey availability for the otter; however, this paper highlights the importance of maintaining natural regimes in Mediterranean temporary rivers to conserve native communities and thus minimally impact food webs in Iberian freshwaters. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) prey selection in response to a variation of fish abundance

Cited by 19 publications

References 46 publications

Fish selection by riverine Eurasian otters in lowland England

Fish selection by riverine Eurasian otters in lowland England

Estima de la población de nutria en las Tablas de Daimiel mediante captura-recaptura espacial y muestreo de distancias

EFFECTS OF FLOW REGULATION AND NON‐NATIVE SPECIES ON FEEDING HABITS OF EURASIAN OTTER Lutra lutra IN MEDITERRANEAN TEMPORARY RIVERS

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