Group size, group structure and breeding in smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata Geoffroy (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in National Chambal Sanctuary, India

Hussain, Syed Ainul

doi:10.1515/mamm.1996.60.2.289

Cited by 17 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Smooth-coated otters are social carnivores that forage in groups and use communal sites for defecation (Hussain, 1996;Hussain & Choudhury, 1997a). Such sprainting sites were located in the reserve by regularly following otters and spraints were collected from November 2000 to April 2001.…”

Section: Collection Of Spraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The score for each prey category was then multiplied by the dry weight of the spraint and the resulting figures were summed for each prey category and expressed as a percentage (Wise et al, 1981;Hussain & Choudhury, 1997b). The smooth-coated otter is a social species living in large groups (Hussain, 1996). They use communal spraint sites for defecation.…”

Section: Score Bulk Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

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

Anoop

Hussain

2005

Journal of Zoology

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Feeding habits of smooth-coated otters Lutra perspicillata were studied by analysing spraints collected from around the Periyar Lake within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala, India. Remains were identified by the comparison of body parts with a reference collection of appropriate prey species. Two methods were used to estimate the proportions of different prey consumed: frequency of occurrence and score-bulk estimate. The number of prey types in a spraint varied between one and seven. More prey species were found during low water levels (March-April). Fish was the major prey, followed by frogs, crabs, birds and insects. Throughout the study, the exotic tilapia and European carp constituted the major prey in the diet. The quantity of native Deccan mahsheer and endemic Periyar barb in the diet was insignificant. A higher intake of bottom-dwelling catfish was observed during periods of low water, probably because of the increased efficiency of otters to forage at these levels. By consuming large amounts of exotic species, such as tilapia and European carp, otters might contribute to the control of the rapid expansion of these species in the Periyar Lake and adjacent water bodies in the reserve.

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Section: Collection Of Spraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Score Bulk Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

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

Anoop

Hussain

2005

Journal of Zoology

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“…Otters are piscivorous mustelids of the mammalian order Carnivora that inhabit different types of aquatic environments (Pardini, 1998). While many species of otter are social, such as giant river otters Pteroneura brasiliensis (Duplaix, 1980;Mason & Macdonald, 1986;Staib, 1993) and smooth-coated otters Lutra perspicillata (Hussain, 1996), some, such as the Eurasian otters Lutra lutra, are generally solitary (Mason & Macdonald, 1986). They occur in all continents except Australia, Antarctica and oceanic islands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Anoop

Hussain

2004

Journal of Zoology

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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.

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“…Density presumably is higher in brackish environments (Sabrina 1985). A social group of smooth-coated otters requires 7-12 km of river as a feeding territory (Hussain 1996;Wayre 1978).…”

Section: Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Nepal, 8 dens were in exposed tree roots and 1 was a tunnel in the sand (Houghton 1987). In India and Nepal, dens may occur in swamps, and these are sometimes used as natal den sites and nurseries (Hussain 1996). Smooth-coated otters form small family groups of a mated pair with up to 4 offspring from previous seasons (Hussain 1996;Wayre 1978).…”

Section: Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

Lutrogale perspicillata

Hwang¹,

Larivière

2005

Mammalian Species

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Group size, group structure and breeding in smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata Geoffroy (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in National Chambal Sanctuary, India

Cited by 17 publications

References 3 publications

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

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

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

Lutrogale perspicillata

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