Factors affecting habitat selection by smooth‐coated otters (Lutra perspicillata) in Kerala, India

Abstract

The factors affecting habitat selection by smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata were studied along the Periyar Lake within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala, India, between November 2000 and April 2001. The importance of different habitat features influencing habitat selection was assessed using ordination technique. The presence of holts, spraint sites, grooming sites and footprints were considered as good indicators of the use of an area by the otters. For foraging, otters selected less rocky areas of the shallower parts of the lake, which are narrower and slanting. The number of streams joining these areas was more than on the other stretches of the lake and the bankside vegetation was dense. The deeper and wider areas of the lake were avoided. Holts were found in a variety of habitats, such as grass and Lantana thickets, rock crevices and under fallen logs and roots of standing trees at an average distance of 18 m from the water level. Grooming sites were characterized by high sand content and nearness to water.

Characterizing habitat preference of Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra) in streams using a self-organizing map

“…Bowyer et al (1995) also reported otters' preference for shallow sites and significant correlation between otter signs and river depth and width (Ottino and Giller 2004). In Kerala's Periyar Tiger Reserve of India, otters avoided stretches of the reservoir that were deep and wide, and where the physical constraints on the animal to take deeper dives hindered their hunting ability (Anoop and Hussain 2004). In our study, streams with a depth not exceeding 5 m appeared to be preferred, thus confirming those results for otter habitat preferences.…”

“…This large variability, however, has its exceptions; within the range of landscapes inhabited by otters, their actual living spaces are much more specific (Anoop and Hussain 2004). Either the number of spraints or the number of sprainting sites could be used as an index of otter activity (Jenkins and Burrows 1980b).…”

“…It was found that most dens were distant from the nearest body of water or were located in areas that offered similar protection (e.g., a marsh with water control structures) (Thomas et al 2005;Anoop and Hussain 2004), and a strong positive association was detected between the presence of a den and the presence of freshwater in these areas (Kruuk et al 1989). Spraint sites were significantly correlated with woodland cover on the river banks (Jenkins and Burrows 1980a).…”

Food and feeding habits of smooth‐coated otters (Lutra perspicillata) and their significance to the fish population of Kerala, India

“…For effective conservation and restoration of this species, an understanding of its relationship with habitat parameters including historical information is required. Previously, information was presented on the factors affecting habitat selection by the smooth-coated otter in Kerala, India (Anoop & Hussain, 2004). In this paper the dietary preferences of the species in an undisturbed but anthropogenic habitat, which has been contaminated with exotic fish species such as tilapia Tilapia mossambica and European carp Cyprinus caprio communis, is discussed.…”

Lutrogale perspicillata

“…Smooth-coated otters are not restricted to deep water and often forage in small, shallow rivers (Anoop and Hussain 2004;Kruuk et al 1994) and seasonally flooded swamps during the monsoons (July-September) and early winter (October-February) in India and Nepal (Hussain and Choudhury 1997). L. perspicillata prefers habitat with rocky banks because of the greater availability of den sites (Hussain and Choudhury 1997).…”