The southern river otter, ''Lontra provocax'', is a species of otter that lives in Chile and Argentina. Since the 1990s, the southwestern stock of Alaskan sea otters has experienced a dramatic (up to 70% p… This type of technique should be Conservation 38: 293–304. Population. It's species name *provocax* may refer to it's temperament, being elusive and active. credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. 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Breeding may occur in July and August, and the female gives birth to up to 4 pups after a gestation period of 60 days. piscivore At this point, only seven known populations of this species are found throughout Chile and Argentina, and all of the populations are isolated from each other. It sometimes is considered a subspecies of ''Lontra canadensis''. We examined age-specific reproductive capacity of a Lontra canadensis (River Otter) population in southern Missouri that was the focus of intense restoration efforts in the 1980s and early 1990s. The main factor contributing to this decline is the loss of suitable habitat. The population of the south of Patagonia (Tierra del Fuego and De los Estados Island) showed a relatively high haplotype diversity (h = 0.71) and was statistically different to the population of the north (analysis of molecular variance, F(ST) = 0.15, P = 0.018). The U.S. Forest Service estimated the river otter population in South Dakota at 100 in 2006. The Defenders of Wildlife resource, based on harvest reports, estimates the North American otter’s total population size to be over 100,000 individuals. Southern Sea Otter. Check out our Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as California sea otters, were listed as threatened in 1977 under the Endangered Species Act. and are the smallest marine mammal in North America. The distribution of the Endangered southern river otter Lontra provocax population in southern Chile has contracted, causing concern among otter specialists and conservationists. Another issue is that these otters do not reproduce quickly. Since then, they have not been able to recover due to a number of other threats. A study by Southern Illinois University estimated that the number of river otters in release areas grew to more than 8,400 in 2009 (about 1 otter per 5 square miles). This offers a chance at re-population, if worst comes to worst. Ecological niche Threats: habitat d… Healthy rivers beget healthy river otters, which means humans have a lot to celebrate when they thrive. Log in here for access. In a Chilean population, 75% of fecal samples analyzed had fish in them, and 63% had crustaceans. However, few studies of river otter survival ecology exist in the Midwestern U.S. We estimated survival rates and mortality causes for river otters in southern Illinois during 2014–2016. When you hear the name 'river otter,' you may assume that the species lives in freshwater. It prefers to eat crayfish and freshwater mussels. The otter has a long cylindrical body with a powerful tail, making it ideal for life in the water. Southern river otters were vigorously hunted for their pelts throughout the last 100 years. Social groups are generally composed of the female and her offspring. In addition to fish and crustaceans, southern river otters also eat mollusks and birds (Kruuk, 1995). This offers a chance at re-population, if worst comes to worst. What is the Difference Between Blended Learning & Distance Learning? The largest Argentinean population is located in northern Patagonia in the Nahuel Huapi National Park. The southern river otter is also affected by pollution of wetlands, since this species requires clean water. Although the Giant otter is prevalent in the southern part of the Neotropics, especially in the Amazon basin, the Southern river otter is the only species of otter found in Costa Rica. River otters were listed as a state threatened species in 1977. They can weigh up to 20 lb. This species can live in either freshwater or marine(saltwater) environments. Currently this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today remain stable. Over 83,000 lessons in all major subjects, {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, Eurasian Otter: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan & Facts, Hairy-Nosed Otter: Habitat, Breeding & Population, Spotted-Necked Otter: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan & Facts, Smooth-Coated Otter: Habitat, Adaptations & Facts, North American River Otter: Habitat, Diet, Predators & Facts, African Clawless Otter: Habitat, Population & Lifespan, Asian Small-Clawed Otter: Habitat, Breeding & Adaptations, European Mink: Facts, Habitat, Adaptations & Population, What is a Mongoose? D… North American southern river otter population otter ( Lutra canadensis ) Description the otter is generally brown dorsally, a! Stream banks the female and her offspring total of 303 river otters is not known but. Found along lakes, streams, ponds, and the CR ( reverse: 5 -CTATAGGT! Language Institute, and can be found in South Dakota at 100 in 2006 the Chilean populations is... 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