Medina-Vogel, G., Bartheld, J.L., Pacheco, R.A. & Delgado, R. 2006: Population assessment and habitat use by marine otter Lontra felina in southern Chile. - Wildl. Biol. 12: 191-199.
The marine otter Lontra felina lives along the Pacific coast of South America from 6°S to 56°S. A method for estimating marine otter abundance is described and a comparison of the characteristics of the terrestrial habitat of this species in southern Chile is made. From June 1999 to June 2000, we conducted eight hours of observations on one day each month at four study sites. An average of 3.8 observable otters/km were recorded, with significant differences between sites but no systematic trends with regard to season. Observable pups were recorded year-round. Otters spent 80% of their time out of view, engaged in behaviours other than feeding; observable otters were mostly seen feeding. The methodology described is effective for indexing abundances at small geographic scales. The marine otter needs both an aquatic habitat for foraging and a terrestrial habitat with an abundance of safe shelters, which, in turn, could limit the distribution of the species when human settlers and domestic dogs utilise the terrestrial habitats.
Key words: abundance, observable otters, shelters, terrestrial and aquatic habitat
Present addresses:
*Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello, República 252, Santiago, Chile
**Comité Nacional pro Defensa de la Fauna y Flora, Carlos Anwandter 849, Valdivia, Chile
***Irlanda 1802, Valdivia, Chile
Corresponing author: Gonzalo Medina-Vogel
Received 17 August 2004, accepted 23 December 2004
Associate Editor: Paolo Cavallini