Mundo Azul

Neotropical otter © Jean Paul Perret / Mundo Azul

Scientific name: Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818).

In Peru, the species is represented by two distinct subspecies:

Lontra longicaudis annectens (Major, 1897), in rivers along the northern Peruvian coast, on the western side of the Andes
Lontra longicaudis enudris (Cuvier, 1823), in the Amazon rainforest until 3,000 meters of altitude.

Common names in Peru: Nutria, lobito de río, pisua, parari, mayupuma.

Distribution: From Mexico (30° N) to the northern province of Buenos Aires in Argentina (34° S), with the exemption of Chile.

Threats:

The neotropical otter has been hunted extensively in the past. Between 1946 and 1972, Peru exported 143,980 otter skins. Only in the year 1970 14,544 skins have been exported.

Otter fur exportation of Lontra longicaudis enudris in Peru according to official statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture.

1. In all official statistics otters are registered as Lutra incarum.
2. This does not include skins that have been exported via Leticia (Columbia).
3. From October 1973, otter skin exportation was prohibited.

In 1973, the exportation of otter skins was prohibited by Supreme Decree N° 934-73-AG. Nowadays, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has listed the otters in Annex I, as species threatened by extinction, prohibiting all international trade with products from these species. Under national law the species is also considered as threatened by extinction, even though national law does not distinguish the two subspecies.

Lontra longicaudis annectens, lives in the rivers of the northern Peruvian desert. Reports are known from the rivers Zarumilla, Tumbes, Piura and Chira, as well as from the temporal Laguna La Niña. Nowadays, it is at the edge of extinction in Peru and recently there are only reports from the river of Tumbes.

The species distribution area has been drastically transformed during the last three decades by deforestation of river vegetation, dam construction in the rivers Chira, Piura and Jequetepeque, as well as by the implementation of big irrigation projects in these areas. Additionally, a big part of the Peruvian mangroves has been destroyed in order to establish shrimp farms. In the Ecuadorian part of the river Tumbes one can find a high level of artisan gold mining, which contaminates the river with a great amount of mercury.

In Mexico, reports have confirmed that the otters have disappeared from the rivers, which have been affected by industrial development, sewage, mining effluents as well as dam and irrigation projects (Gallo, 1997). The same conditions can also be found in northern Peru.

The second subspecies, Lontra longicaudis enudris, lives in the Amazon river system and in certain rivers in high altitude (up to 3,000 meters), like for example the river Ollantaytambo. The subspecies still seems to be well distributed in the east of the country. It is also present in the following protected areas: National Parks of Bahuaja Sonene, Manu, Cutervo, Tingo María, Río Abiseo, Yanachaga Chemillén, Cordillera Azul and Otishi, as well as the national reserves of Pacaya Samiria and Tambopata; in the National Sanctuary of Machupicchu; in the Forest Protection Areas of San Matias San Carlos and Alto Mayo; in the Community Reserves Yanesha and El Sira, and finally in the Reserved Zones of Santiago Comaina, Alto Purús, Gueppí and Amarakaeri
.

Description:

The fur of the neotropical otter is dense and shorthaired. On the back, the species is of a brown color. A patch of cream coloring is present on the throat and chin, the pattern of which is unique to each individual. The head is small and flattened, eyes and ears are small. The tail is long and broadened but of cylindrical form. The species size is 1.2 meters and its maximum weight is 12 kg.

Habitat:

In general, in rivers with stronger currents and clearer waters with abundant shoreline vegetation, from the ocean level to 3,000 meters of altitude, but more commonly lower than 1,500 meters. It seems to be rare in lowland Amazon rivers and turbid water. It has been reported from lakes in Florianópolis, Brazil and is capable of living in the ocean.

Behavior:

The neotropical otter is a solitary animal, other than the Giant river otter for example. The biggest groups that can be seen do not have more than two or three animals and are usually composed by a mother and their children. Equally as other otter species feces are used to mark their territories. In areas were the otters are not hunted they usually are active during daytime.

Diet:

Their diet is composed off a variety of species and no research has been done on this topic in Peru. Studies from Mexico and Costa Rica on L. l. annectens, show a clear preference for crustaceans, found in 50 percent of the otters feces. Generally, they are feeding on shrimps of the genus Atya spp. and Macrobrachium spp. Fish also forms an important part of their diet. Fish species to be preyed on are usually "slow species", belonging to the families Cichlidae, Gobiesoxidae and Pimelodidae (Spinola et al, 1995; Gallo, 1997).