Otters are back - and coming to a river near you! August 2011. The sighting of two otters in Kent has delighted conservationists, who once feared that the iconic mammal could be lost from England's waterways forever.
Kent the last county
A country-wide wildlife survey published by the Environment Agency last year found that otters, which almost disappeared from England in the 1970s due to the toxic effects of pesticides, were recovering well and had been found in every English county except Kent. Now wildlife experts at the Environment Agency have confirmed that there are at least two otters in Kent, which have built their holts on the river Medway and the river Eden. The two sightings have delighted conservationists, who previously predicted that otters may not be resident in the county for another ten years.
Otters, which were nearly extinct in the 1970's, have recovered thanks to a ban on harmful pesticides and legal protection given to otters, making it an offence to intentionally kill or harm the animal. They have also been helped by a significant improvement in water quality over the past 20 years, bringing fish back to rivers that were once grossly polluted.
Otters are at the top of the food chain, and are therefore an important indicator of the health of rivers.
Rivers the healthiest for 20 years
The Environment Agency's National Conservation Manager, Alastair Driver said: "The recovery of otters from near-extinction shows how far we've come in controlling pollution and improving water quality. Rivers in England are the healthiest for over 20 years, and otters, salmon and other wildlife are returning to many rivers for the first time since the industrial revolution.
"The fact that otters are now returning to Kent is the final piece in the jigsaw for otter recovery in England and is a symbol of great success for everybody involved in otter conservation. It is also a fantastic reward for all of the Environment Agency's efforts in improving the water quality and ecology of England's rivers.
Lancashire - 44% increase
Otters continue to recover in other parts of the UK too, with a recent survey on the river Ribble in Lancashire showing a 44 per cent increase in the numbers of otters since 2008. The River Ribble is one of 10 rivers taking part in a pilot project which aims to get wildlife organisations, farmers, businesses and the local community to take co-ordinated action to further improve the health of UK rivers.
River habitats have also benefited from reductions in the volume of water taken by water companies, farmers and industry. The Environment Agency is reviewing abstraction licences and amending those that are causing environmental damage. For example, around 35 million fewer litres a day are now being taken from the River Darent in Kent than 20 years ago, increasing river flows and helping to support larger populations of wildlife including brown trout and pike.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/kent-otters.html#cr
Showing posts with label Otters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Otters. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Otter causes chaos in Tulla in County Clare
19 April 2011
An unlikely water-dweller has been making waves in a County Clare town.
A wayward otter turned on its would-be rescuers in Tulla on Monday as it was found wandering up the town's main street.
Farmer Joe Burke and shop owner Mike Hogan first noticed the animal as it passed by on the footpath outside Mr Hogan's window.
Concerned for its safety, they decided to come to its aid. However, the otter clearly had other ideas.
As a large crowd gathered, the otter became "very aggressive" and started trying to bite people.
Mr Burke was rewarded for his efforts with a nasty cut.
Tayto crisps
Eventually, the two men managed to corner the ungrateful creature in a courtyard. They planned to wait for professionals to come and take it to safety.
However, as Mr Burke explained: "He then put his head into a Tayto bag. It was wrapped tightly around his head.
"He couldn't see where he was going, he was bumping into walls and everything."
Fearing for the otter's life, Mr Burke decided to take on the rescue himself.
He took a thick bag used for holding animal feed, and after a minor struggle, managed to capture the animal.
The two men loaded their charge into the back of Mr Burke's jeep, and made their way to a local lake with the intention of releasing the otter back into its natural habitat.
But again the otter was refusing to go quietly.
"He chewed his way out of the bag," said Mr Hogan. "The back window was missing on the jeep so he jumped out when we stopped."
Traffic cone
The resourceful animal then made a dash for freedom half a mile back towards Tulla, before Mr Burke was able to catch it under a traffic cone.
The men slid a piece of plywood under the cone and carried it back to the lake, where they let the otter back into the water.
However, again the drama continued. The animal was so exhausted from its efforts that it began to sink.
"We pulled him towards the reeds and sort of propped him up," said Mr Hogan.
"After 10 or 15 minutes he got his breath back again and swam off."
A dramatic day indeed. The residents of Tulla may never see an otter one like it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13126139
An unlikely water-dweller has been making waves in a County Clare town.
A wayward otter turned on its would-be rescuers in Tulla on Monday as it was found wandering up the town's main street.
Farmer Joe Burke and shop owner Mike Hogan first noticed the animal as it passed by on the footpath outside Mr Hogan's window.
Concerned for its safety, they decided to come to its aid. However, the otter clearly had other ideas.
As a large crowd gathered, the otter became "very aggressive" and started trying to bite people.
Mr Burke was rewarded for his efforts with a nasty cut.
Tayto crisps
Eventually, the two men managed to corner the ungrateful creature in a courtyard. They planned to wait for professionals to come and take it to safety.
However, as Mr Burke explained: "He then put his head into a Tayto bag. It was wrapped tightly around his head.
"He couldn't see where he was going, he was bumping into walls and everything."
Fearing for the otter's life, Mr Burke decided to take on the rescue himself.
He took a thick bag used for holding animal feed, and after a minor struggle, managed to capture the animal.
The two men loaded their charge into the back of Mr Burke's jeep, and made their way to a local lake with the intention of releasing the otter back into its natural habitat.
But again the otter was refusing to go quietly.
"He chewed his way out of the bag," said Mr Hogan. "The back window was missing on the jeep so he jumped out when we stopped."
Traffic cone
The resourceful animal then made a dash for freedom half a mile back towards Tulla, before Mr Burke was able to catch it under a traffic cone.
The men slid a piece of plywood under the cone and carried it back to the lake, where they let the otter back into the water.
However, again the drama continued. The animal was so exhausted from its efforts that it began to sink.
"We pulled him towards the reeds and sort of propped him up," said Mr Hogan.
"After 10 or 15 minutes he got his breath back again and swam off."
A dramatic day indeed. The residents of Tulla may never see an otter one like it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13126139
Monday, April 18, 2011
Spelman pledges £110m to revive unhealthy waterways
13 April 2011
Otters and salmon will benefit from a £110m boost in spending on England's lakes, rivers and streams, the government has said.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said the funds would revive "lifeless" bodies of water, allowing wildlife to flourish by tackling invasive weeds.
She also said that ministers wanted people to become more involved in caring for local waterways and streams.
Ralph Underhill, of campaign group Our Rivers, welcomed the announcement.
£92m will be provided over the next four years to combat non-native invasive weeds and clear up pollution.
Redundant dams, weirs and landings in England will also be removed.
The funding will be shared between the Environment Agency, Natural England and charities such as the Association of Rivers Trust.
This boost is earmarked for England alone because funding for waterways is devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
An additional £18m will be provided this year to help farmers protect water courses near agricultural land, the government added.
Grass roots
Announcing the move, Mrs Spelman said: "The health of our rivers has come along in leaps and bounds, but we still see nasty invasive weeds and lifeless waters blight blue spaces in cities and across our countryside.
"With this funding, we'll help all our waterways and streams thrive by tackling problems that until now have been sitting in the 'too-hard' basket.
"Our new grass-roots approach to boosting healthier waterways and flourishing wildlife has local experience and knowledge at its heart."
Mr Underhill warned that the funding would not "solve all the problems overnight".
But he hailed the announcement as "fantastic news for our rivers and the wildlife they support".
"Rivers are a national asset and in the current financial climate it is great to see a new investment being made in their future," he added.
Conservation charity WWF-UK said it was delighted by the government's extra funding.
Tom Le Quesne, freshwater policy manager, said: "We recently withdrew legal action against the government which was originally taken because the previous government's 2009 plans for implementation of the Water Framework Directive did not deliver for rivers.
"We hope this funding shows the beginning of a long-term drive to improve the quality of our rivers and helping wildlife thrive."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13053394
(Via Dawn Holloway)
Otters and salmon will benefit from a £110m boost in spending on England's lakes, rivers and streams, the government has said.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said the funds would revive "lifeless" bodies of water, allowing wildlife to flourish by tackling invasive weeds.
She also said that ministers wanted people to become more involved in caring for local waterways and streams.
Ralph Underhill, of campaign group Our Rivers, welcomed the announcement.
£92m will be provided over the next four years to combat non-native invasive weeds and clear up pollution.
Redundant dams, weirs and landings in England will also be removed.
The funding will be shared between the Environment Agency, Natural England and charities such as the Association of Rivers Trust.
This boost is earmarked for England alone because funding for waterways is devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
An additional £18m will be provided this year to help farmers protect water courses near agricultural land, the government added.
Grass roots
Announcing the move, Mrs Spelman said: "The health of our rivers has come along in leaps and bounds, but we still see nasty invasive weeds and lifeless waters blight blue spaces in cities and across our countryside.
"With this funding, we'll help all our waterways and streams thrive by tackling problems that until now have been sitting in the 'too-hard' basket.
"Our new grass-roots approach to boosting healthier waterways and flourishing wildlife has local experience and knowledge at its heart."
Mr Underhill warned that the funding would not "solve all the problems overnight".
But he hailed the announcement as "fantastic news for our rivers and the wildlife they support".
"Rivers are a national asset and in the current financial climate it is great to see a new investment being made in their future," he added.
Conservation charity WWF-UK said it was delighted by the government's extra funding.
Tom Le Quesne, freshwater policy manager, said: "We recently withdrew legal action against the government which was originally taken because the previous government's 2009 plans for implementation of the Water Framework Directive did not deliver for rivers.
"We hope this funding shows the beginning of a long-term drive to improve the quality of our rivers and helping wildlife thrive."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13053394
(Via Dawn Holloway)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Orphaned Congo Clawless Otter is an ambassador for conservation in the Congo
Congo clawless otter reared in a village
December 2010. Since mid-February otter conservation organisation, the International Otter Survival Fund, have been helping missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo to raise an orphaned Congo Clawless Otter.
Severe decline due to hunting
Due to commercial hunting for meat and fur, the Congo Clawless Otter population numbers have undergone severe decline. In an area, where it's the culture to hunt, the saving and raising of a rare wild creature has generated much interest and amazement within the local population (and further afield!). It has created an environment for conservation education, which has now become a focus of learning in the Congo village of Kikongo in Bandundu Province, where wildlife, habitat and land is constantly under threat.
Missionaries
The story began when the IOSF, received an email from missionaries, Glen and Rita Chapman, based in the Congolese village. The message simply read, "A hunter brought a dead female Congo Clawless Otter from the forest today. He also had a white newborn female pup-otter - eyes still closed, but very much alive... outlook is bleak."
IOSF immediately arranged for otter milk substitute to be despatched, whilst in the meantime Rita and Glen improvised - eventually the milk was delivered by supply plane. A week later, the cub was thriving and had grown 8cm! Very soon, a network of zoos, vets and other otter conservation groups were pooling their expertise and knowledge, via email, to help Rita and Glen.
In the local language, the word ‘Mazu' means noise - and this is what Glen and Rita called the young orphan. It's particularly apt, as Mazu makes a variety of noises - a range of happy snuffling, sighs, small whistles, tweets, twitters and squeaks.
In May, Rita wrote, "Yesterday, we were informed that some children found a mouse, cleaned it up, put powder on it, and want to make a house for it. They say they want to do like Mama Rita is doing with the otter! Isn't it nice that some kids are beginning to see some creature as more than meat? Is this the beginning of conservation I wonder?"
Flight stop over
Very quickly the word spread, that something unusual was happening in Kikongo - supply pilots, visitors to the area, local dignitaries and visiting students are all anxious to meet Mazu and learn about her (and conservation!) The Chapman's live close to the village's airstrip, and many people in transit, now stop by to see Mazu, and learn more about Congo Clawless Otters.
Otter prints similar to lions
Rita reports "One of the elders called by. We showed him Mazu and asked about otters. He says they have them upriver where he lives. He says they confuse the otter prints with lion prints (they are that large!) He says they are mostly in the swamp and along the streams, but they don't see them very much in the open river. He imitated the otter call. Since he is close to the chief, we asked if they would make a general announcement for people not to shoot otters."
A politician from Kinshasa also expressed an interest to meet Mazu - he'd heard about the conservation programme being carried out with her ‘help' - when he visited, this also facilitated an opportunity for local villagers to put forward a delegation, and engineer conversations about land use.
In the meantime, Mazu is learning to catch her own fish, taking great pleasure in rolling, playing and eating the non-native water hyacinth - like most otters she combines eating with play, and Rita and Glen admit that they are now ‘trained' in carrying fresh supplies from the river each day.
Recently, Rita reported "No doubt about it, Mazu is a show stopper and ambassador for otter conservation wherever she goes."
"In the evening when the whole community is taking various paths to wash up in the river or springs, people stand at respectful distances waiting for Mazu to pass by so that they can get a good look at her. They are impressed with her beauty, her size, her teeth (!), and awed that a wild animal can live with people. Or, as often seems the case to us, we live with her."
"Invariably, there are further observations and questions that follow these encounters and others at the house. Those adults and children, who regularly help with Mazu's care, seem to enjoy educating amazed visitors who frequently stop by Mazu's outside enclosure, to watch her digging or playing in her pools. For those who can read French, a Congo Clawless Otter fact sheet is available on the fence for reading. Each and everyday, informal, but important conversations are taking place regarding Mazu and her value in our swamps and rivers."
International Otter Survival Fund
Grace Yoxon, of IOSF, says, "Working with Glen and Rita and Mazu is so exciting. When we first heard about Mazu we were all just concerned with helping them to rear her, but what they are doing for otter conservation through her is simply amazing. We also now have a network of experts around the world working with us, and, of course, Rita and Glen, who can share their knowledge and expertise. This network sprang into action once again (in May), when another cub (this time a Spotted Neck Otter) was found on the other side of the Congo.
People worldwide have been following Mazu's story on the IOSF Blog and website, and it is great to have this support. The milk we sent for Mazu has to be imported from America; we also use it for the cubs we care for at the Skye otter sanctuary. Cubs stay with their mothers for about a year, so IOSF have to release them at the same age as otherwise they won't survive. This makes it very expensive and so the support we receive is vital.
If anyone wants to know more about Mazu or the work of IOSF they can find out more on the website at www.otter.org "
About Otters in the Congo:
There are two types of otter in the area - Congo Clawless (Aonyx congicus) and the Spotted Neck Otter (Lutra maculicollis). The Clawless Otter is the second largest otter in the world. This species resides around wetlands, streams or ponds in the rainforests of Central Africa. Although most otters are considered aquatic, this otter is thought to be more terrestrial.
The Congo Clawless Otter is dark brown in colour which helps it blend into its muddy surroundings. White tips of the hairs on the dorsal head and neck area give it a silvery look. The chest, nose, and ears are white. There is also a very distinguished patch of dark fur between the eye and the nose on each side of the face. The front feet have no claws or webbing. The back feet have very small claws, which are partially webbed.
The Congo Clawless Otter is a larger than most species, with a total length of 118 to 156 cm, with 40 to 59 cm of it being the tail. Adults usually weigh between 15 to 25 kg. The Congo Clawless Otter is very similar in appearance to the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis). However, the Congo Clawless Otter has a more slender head and neck, the cheeks tend to be white rather than beige as in the Cape Clawless, and the dark mark between the eye and nose is more prominent. A less obvious distinguishing characteristic is the more deeply cusped molars.
Predators: birds of prey, crocodiles, leopards, pythons, and man.
Otter bush meat is common in Congo and Cameroon, but not in Gabon because of its reputation of being a dangerous animal - the myth in Gabon is that otters can give electric shocks when caught with a spear. Some people don't like to eat otters because of the smell which can linger!
Otters are also thought to be magical and possess powers that when you catch an otter, skin it, and wear its fur, you are thought to become invisible to your enemy. This emanates from the belief of the otter's ability to escape fish traps. Its fur is also used in Cameroon to make drums.
All 13 species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/congo-clawless-otter.html
December 2010. Since mid-February otter conservation organisation, the International Otter Survival Fund, have been helping missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo to raise an orphaned Congo Clawless Otter.
Severe decline due to hunting
Due to commercial hunting for meat and fur, the Congo Clawless Otter population numbers have undergone severe decline. In an area, where it's the culture to hunt, the saving and raising of a rare wild creature has generated much interest and amazement within the local population (and further afield!). It has created an environment for conservation education, which has now become a focus of learning in the Congo village of Kikongo in Bandundu Province, where wildlife, habitat and land is constantly under threat.
Missionaries
The story began when the IOSF, received an email from missionaries, Glen and Rita Chapman, based in the Congolese village. The message simply read, "A hunter brought a dead female Congo Clawless Otter from the forest today. He also had a white newborn female pup-otter - eyes still closed, but very much alive... outlook is bleak."
IOSF immediately arranged for otter milk substitute to be despatched, whilst in the meantime Rita and Glen improvised - eventually the milk was delivered by supply plane. A week later, the cub was thriving and had grown 8cm! Very soon, a network of zoos, vets and other otter conservation groups were pooling their expertise and knowledge, via email, to help Rita and Glen.
In the local language, the word ‘Mazu' means noise - and this is what Glen and Rita called the young orphan. It's particularly apt, as Mazu makes a variety of noises - a range of happy snuffling, sighs, small whistles, tweets, twitters and squeaks.
In May, Rita wrote, "Yesterday, we were informed that some children found a mouse, cleaned it up, put powder on it, and want to make a house for it. They say they want to do like Mama Rita is doing with the otter! Isn't it nice that some kids are beginning to see some creature as more than meat? Is this the beginning of conservation I wonder?"
Flight stop over
Very quickly the word spread, that something unusual was happening in Kikongo - supply pilots, visitors to the area, local dignitaries and visiting students are all anxious to meet Mazu and learn about her (and conservation!) The Chapman's live close to the village's airstrip, and many people in transit, now stop by to see Mazu, and learn more about Congo Clawless Otters.
Otter prints similar to lions
Rita reports "One of the elders called by. We showed him Mazu and asked about otters. He says they have them upriver where he lives. He says they confuse the otter prints with lion prints (they are that large!) He says they are mostly in the swamp and along the streams, but they don't see them very much in the open river. He imitated the otter call. Since he is close to the chief, we asked if they would make a general announcement for people not to shoot otters."
A politician from Kinshasa also expressed an interest to meet Mazu - he'd heard about the conservation programme being carried out with her ‘help' - when he visited, this also facilitated an opportunity for local villagers to put forward a delegation, and engineer conversations about land use.
In the meantime, Mazu is learning to catch her own fish, taking great pleasure in rolling, playing and eating the non-native water hyacinth - like most otters she combines eating with play, and Rita and Glen admit that they are now ‘trained' in carrying fresh supplies from the river each day.
Recently, Rita reported "No doubt about it, Mazu is a show stopper and ambassador for otter conservation wherever she goes."
"In the evening when the whole community is taking various paths to wash up in the river or springs, people stand at respectful distances waiting for Mazu to pass by so that they can get a good look at her. They are impressed with her beauty, her size, her teeth (!), and awed that a wild animal can live with people. Or, as often seems the case to us, we live with her."
"Invariably, there are further observations and questions that follow these encounters and others at the house. Those adults and children, who regularly help with Mazu's care, seem to enjoy educating amazed visitors who frequently stop by Mazu's outside enclosure, to watch her digging or playing in her pools. For those who can read French, a Congo Clawless Otter fact sheet is available on the fence for reading. Each and everyday, informal, but important conversations are taking place regarding Mazu and her value in our swamps and rivers."
International Otter Survival Fund
Grace Yoxon, of IOSF, says, "Working with Glen and Rita and Mazu is so exciting. When we first heard about Mazu we were all just concerned with helping them to rear her, but what they are doing for otter conservation through her is simply amazing. We also now have a network of experts around the world working with us, and, of course, Rita and Glen, who can share their knowledge and expertise. This network sprang into action once again (in May), when another cub (this time a Spotted Neck Otter) was found on the other side of the Congo.
People worldwide have been following Mazu's story on the IOSF Blog and website, and it is great to have this support. The milk we sent for Mazu has to be imported from America; we also use it for the cubs we care for at the Skye otter sanctuary. Cubs stay with their mothers for about a year, so IOSF have to release them at the same age as otherwise they won't survive. This makes it very expensive and so the support we receive is vital.
If anyone wants to know more about Mazu or the work of IOSF they can find out more on the website at www.otter.org "
About Otters in the Congo:
There are two types of otter in the area - Congo Clawless (Aonyx congicus) and the Spotted Neck Otter (Lutra maculicollis). The Clawless Otter is the second largest otter in the world. This species resides around wetlands, streams or ponds in the rainforests of Central Africa. Although most otters are considered aquatic, this otter is thought to be more terrestrial.
The Congo Clawless Otter is dark brown in colour which helps it blend into its muddy surroundings. White tips of the hairs on the dorsal head and neck area give it a silvery look. The chest, nose, and ears are white. There is also a very distinguished patch of dark fur between the eye and the nose on each side of the face. The front feet have no claws or webbing. The back feet have very small claws, which are partially webbed.
The Congo Clawless Otter is a larger than most species, with a total length of 118 to 156 cm, with 40 to 59 cm of it being the tail. Adults usually weigh between 15 to 25 kg. The Congo Clawless Otter is very similar in appearance to the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis). However, the Congo Clawless Otter has a more slender head and neck, the cheeks tend to be white rather than beige as in the Cape Clawless, and the dark mark between the eye and nose is more prominent. A less obvious distinguishing characteristic is the more deeply cusped molars.
Predators: birds of prey, crocodiles, leopards, pythons, and man.
Otter bush meat is common in Congo and Cameroon, but not in Gabon because of its reputation of being a dangerous animal - the myth in Gabon is that otters can give electric shocks when caught with a spear. Some people don't like to eat otters because of the smell which can linger!
Otters are also thought to be magical and possess powers that when you catch an otter, skin it, and wear its fur, you are thought to become invisible to your enemy. This emanates from the belief of the otter's ability to escape fish traps. Its fur is also used in Cameroon to make drums.
All 13 species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/congo-clawless-otter.html
Orphaned Congo Clawless Otter is an ambassador for conservation in the Congo
Congo clawless otter reared in a village
December 2010. Since mid-February otter conservation organisation, the International Otter Survival Fund, have been helping missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo to raise an orphaned Congo Clawless Otter.
Severe decline due to hunting
Due to commercial hunting for meat and fur, the Congo Clawless Otter population numbers have undergone severe decline. In an area, where it's the culture to hunt, the saving and raising of a rare wild creature has generated much interest and amazement within the local population (and further afield!). It has created an environment for conservation education, which has now become a focus of learning in the Congo village of Kikongo in Bandundu Province, where wildlife, habitat and land is constantly under threat.
Missionaries
The story began when the IOSF, received an email from missionaries, Glen and Rita Chapman, based in the Congolese village. The message simply read, "A hunter brought a dead female Congo Clawless Otter from the forest today. He also had a white newborn female pup-otter - eyes still closed, but very much alive... outlook is bleak."
IOSF immediately arranged for otter milk substitute to be despatched, whilst in the meantime Rita and Glen improvised - eventually the milk was delivered by supply plane. A week later, the cub was thriving and had grown 8cm! Very soon, a network of zoos, vets and other otter conservation groups were pooling their expertise and knowledge, via email, to help Rita and Glen.
In the local language, the word ‘Mazu' means noise - and this is what Glen and Rita called the young orphan. It's particularly apt, as Mazu makes a variety of noises - a range of happy snuffling, sighs, small whistles, tweets, twitters and squeaks.
In May, Rita wrote, "Yesterday, we were informed that some children found a mouse, cleaned it up, put powder on it, and want to make a house for it. They say they want to do like Mama Rita is doing with the otter! Isn't it nice that some kids are beginning to see some creature as more than meat? Is this the beginning of conservation I wonder?"
Flight stop over
Very quickly the word spread, that something unusual was happening in Kikongo - supply pilots, visitors to the area, local dignitaries and visiting students are all anxious to meet Mazu and learn about her (and conservation!) The Chapman's live close to the village's airstrip, and many people in transit, now stop by to see Mazu, and learn more about Congo Clawless Otters.
Otter prints similar to lions
Rita reports "One of the elders called by. We showed him Mazu and asked about otters. He says they have them upriver where he lives. He says they confuse the otter prints with lion prints (they are that large!) He says they are mostly in the swamp and along the streams, but they don't see them very much in the open river. He imitated the otter call. Since he is close to the chief, we asked if they would make a general announcement for people not to shoot otters."
A politician from Kinshasa also expressed an interest to meet Mazu - he'd heard about the conservation programme being carried out with her ‘help' - when he visited, this also facilitated an opportunity for local villagers to put forward a delegation, and engineer conversations about land use.
In the meantime, Mazu is learning to catch her own fish, taking great pleasure in rolling, playing and eating the non-native water hyacinth - like most otters she combines eating with play, and Rita and Glen admit that they are now ‘trained' in carrying fresh supplies from the river each day.
Recently, Rita reported "No doubt about it, Mazu is a show stopper and ambassador for otter conservation wherever she goes."
"In the evening when the whole community is taking various paths to wash up in the river or springs, people stand at respectful distances waiting for Mazu to pass by so that they can get a good look at her. They are impressed with her beauty, her size, her teeth (!), and awed that a wild animal can live with people. Or, as often seems the case to us, we live with her."
"Invariably, there are further observations and questions that follow these encounters and others at the house. Those adults and children, who regularly help with Mazu's care, seem to enjoy educating amazed visitors who frequently stop by Mazu's outside enclosure, to watch her digging or playing in her pools. For those who can read French, a Congo Clawless Otter fact sheet is available on the fence for reading. Each and everyday, informal, but important conversations are taking place regarding Mazu and her value in our swamps and rivers."
International Otter Survival Fund
Grace Yoxon, of IOSF, says, "Working with Glen and Rita and Mazu is so exciting. When we first heard about Mazu we were all just concerned with helping them to rear her, but what they are doing for otter conservation through her is simply amazing. We also now have a network of experts around the world working with us, and, of course, Rita and Glen, who can share their knowledge and expertise. This network sprang into action once again (in May), when another cub (this time a Spotted Neck Otter) was found on the other side of the Congo.
People worldwide have been following Mazu's story on the IOSF Blog and website, and it is great to have this support. The milk we sent for Mazu has to be imported from America; we also use it for the cubs we care for at the Skye otter sanctuary. Cubs stay with their mothers for about a year, so IOSF have to release them at the same age as otherwise they won't survive. This makes it very expensive and so the support we receive is vital.
If anyone wants to know more about Mazu or the work of IOSF they can find out more on the website at www.otter.org "
About Otters in the Congo:
There are two types of otter in the area - Congo Clawless (Aonyx congicus) and the Spotted Neck Otter (Lutra maculicollis). The Clawless Otter is the second largest otter in the world. This species resides around wetlands, streams or ponds in the rainforests of Central Africa. Although most otters are considered aquatic, this otter is thought to be more terrestrial.
The Congo Clawless Otter is dark brown in colour which helps it blend into its muddy surroundings. White tips of the hairs on the dorsal head and neck area give it a silvery look. The chest, nose, and ears are white. There is also a very distinguished patch of dark fur between the eye and the nose on each side of the face. The front feet have no claws or webbing. The back feet have very small claws, which are partially webbed.
The Congo Clawless Otter is a larger than most species, with a total length of 118 to 156 cm, with 40 to 59 cm of it being the tail. Adults usually weigh between 15 to 25 kg. The Congo Clawless Otter is very similar in appearance to the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis). However, the Congo Clawless Otter has a more slender head and neck, the cheeks tend to be white rather than beige as in the Cape Clawless, and the dark mark between the eye and nose is more prominent. A less obvious distinguishing characteristic is the more deeply cusped molars.
Predators: birds of prey, crocodiles, leopards, pythons, and man.
Otter bush meat is common in Congo and Cameroon, but not in Gabon because of its reputation of being a dangerous animal - the myth in Gabon is that otters can give electric shocks when caught with a spear. Some people don't like to eat otters because of the smell which can linger!
Otters are also thought to be magical and possess powers that when you catch an otter, skin it, and wear its fur, you are thought to become invisible to your enemy. This emanates from the belief of the otter's ability to escape fish traps. Its fur is also used in Cameroon to make drums.
All 13 species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/congo-clawless-otter.html
December 2010. Since mid-February otter conservation organisation, the International Otter Survival Fund, have been helping missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo to raise an orphaned Congo Clawless Otter.
Severe decline due to hunting
Due to commercial hunting for meat and fur, the Congo Clawless Otter population numbers have undergone severe decline. In an area, where it's the culture to hunt, the saving and raising of a rare wild creature has generated much interest and amazement within the local population (and further afield!). It has created an environment for conservation education, which has now become a focus of learning in the Congo village of Kikongo in Bandundu Province, where wildlife, habitat and land is constantly under threat.
Missionaries
The story began when the IOSF, received an email from missionaries, Glen and Rita Chapman, based in the Congolese village. The message simply read, "A hunter brought a dead female Congo Clawless Otter from the forest today. He also had a white newborn female pup-otter - eyes still closed, but very much alive... outlook is bleak."
IOSF immediately arranged for otter milk substitute to be despatched, whilst in the meantime Rita and Glen improvised - eventually the milk was delivered by supply plane. A week later, the cub was thriving and had grown 8cm! Very soon, a network of zoos, vets and other otter conservation groups were pooling their expertise and knowledge, via email, to help Rita and Glen.
In the local language, the word ‘Mazu' means noise - and this is what Glen and Rita called the young orphan. It's particularly apt, as Mazu makes a variety of noises - a range of happy snuffling, sighs, small whistles, tweets, twitters and squeaks.
In May, Rita wrote, "Yesterday, we were informed that some children found a mouse, cleaned it up, put powder on it, and want to make a house for it. They say they want to do like Mama Rita is doing with the otter! Isn't it nice that some kids are beginning to see some creature as more than meat? Is this the beginning of conservation I wonder?"
Flight stop over
Very quickly the word spread, that something unusual was happening in Kikongo - supply pilots, visitors to the area, local dignitaries and visiting students are all anxious to meet Mazu and learn about her (and conservation!) The Chapman's live close to the village's airstrip, and many people in transit, now stop by to see Mazu, and learn more about Congo Clawless Otters.
Otter prints similar to lions
Rita reports "One of the elders called by. We showed him Mazu and asked about otters. He says they have them upriver where he lives. He says they confuse the otter prints with lion prints (they are that large!) He says they are mostly in the swamp and along the streams, but they don't see them very much in the open river. He imitated the otter call. Since he is close to the chief, we asked if they would make a general announcement for people not to shoot otters."
A politician from Kinshasa also expressed an interest to meet Mazu - he'd heard about the conservation programme being carried out with her ‘help' - when he visited, this also facilitated an opportunity for local villagers to put forward a delegation, and engineer conversations about land use.
In the meantime, Mazu is learning to catch her own fish, taking great pleasure in rolling, playing and eating the non-native water hyacinth - like most otters she combines eating with play, and Rita and Glen admit that they are now ‘trained' in carrying fresh supplies from the river each day.
Recently, Rita reported "No doubt about it, Mazu is a show stopper and ambassador for otter conservation wherever she goes."
"In the evening when the whole community is taking various paths to wash up in the river or springs, people stand at respectful distances waiting for Mazu to pass by so that they can get a good look at her. They are impressed with her beauty, her size, her teeth (!), and awed that a wild animal can live with people. Or, as often seems the case to us, we live with her."
"Invariably, there are further observations and questions that follow these encounters and others at the house. Those adults and children, who regularly help with Mazu's care, seem to enjoy educating amazed visitors who frequently stop by Mazu's outside enclosure, to watch her digging or playing in her pools. For those who can read French, a Congo Clawless Otter fact sheet is available on the fence for reading. Each and everyday, informal, but important conversations are taking place regarding Mazu and her value in our swamps and rivers."
International Otter Survival Fund
Grace Yoxon, of IOSF, says, "Working with Glen and Rita and Mazu is so exciting. When we first heard about Mazu we were all just concerned with helping them to rear her, but what they are doing for otter conservation through her is simply amazing. We also now have a network of experts around the world working with us, and, of course, Rita and Glen, who can share their knowledge and expertise. This network sprang into action once again (in May), when another cub (this time a Spotted Neck Otter) was found on the other side of the Congo.
People worldwide have been following Mazu's story on the IOSF Blog and website, and it is great to have this support. The milk we sent for Mazu has to be imported from America; we also use it for the cubs we care for at the Skye otter sanctuary. Cubs stay with their mothers for about a year, so IOSF have to release them at the same age as otherwise they won't survive. This makes it very expensive and so the support we receive is vital.
If anyone wants to know more about Mazu or the work of IOSF they can find out more on the website at www.otter.org "
About Otters in the Congo:
There are two types of otter in the area - Congo Clawless (Aonyx congicus) and the Spotted Neck Otter (Lutra maculicollis). The Clawless Otter is the second largest otter in the world. This species resides around wetlands, streams or ponds in the rainforests of Central Africa. Although most otters are considered aquatic, this otter is thought to be more terrestrial.
The Congo Clawless Otter is dark brown in colour which helps it blend into its muddy surroundings. White tips of the hairs on the dorsal head and neck area give it a silvery look. The chest, nose, and ears are white. There is also a very distinguished patch of dark fur between the eye and the nose on each side of the face. The front feet have no claws or webbing. The back feet have very small claws, which are partially webbed.
The Congo Clawless Otter is a larger than most species, with a total length of 118 to 156 cm, with 40 to 59 cm of it being the tail. Adults usually weigh between 15 to 25 kg. The Congo Clawless Otter is very similar in appearance to the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis). However, the Congo Clawless Otter has a more slender head and neck, the cheeks tend to be white rather than beige as in the Cape Clawless, and the dark mark between the eye and nose is more prominent. A less obvious distinguishing characteristic is the more deeply cusped molars.
Predators: birds of prey, crocodiles, leopards, pythons, and man.
Otter bush meat is common in Congo and Cameroon, but not in Gabon because of its reputation of being a dangerous animal - the myth in Gabon is that otters can give electric shocks when caught with a spear. Some people don't like to eat otters because of the smell which can linger!
Otters are also thought to be magical and possess powers that when you catch an otter, skin it, and wear its fur, you are thought to become invisible to your enemy. This emanates from the belief of the otter's ability to escape fish traps. Its fur is also used in Cameroon to make drums.
All 13 species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/congo-clawless-otter.html
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Increase in otters offers proof of a cleaner river
An increase in otters in the River Avon near Bath has led scientists at city firm Wessex Water to believe its work to improve water quality has benefited local wildlife.
The water company is confident that projects to improve the management of water being released into rivers after the sewage treatment process has improved water quality in the Avon.
The National Otter Survey shows that the animals are now living at many sites along the river in habitats where no trace of the creature could be found 10 years ago.
Otters rely on high-quality water habitats to supply enough fish to support them and their presence is seen as a canary-in-a-mine style confirmation of lack of pollution.
Ruth Barden, head of environment and conservation at Claverton Down-based Wessex, said: "We have made a collective effort to improve rivers and provide the healthy habitat essential to allow otter populations to thrive.
"This is a great indication that water quality is good and all the hard work we have been undertaking has brought significant benefits."
The survey took place at 15 sites along the Avon, with the number being used by otters up from one at the start of the decade to 10 now.
The firm has boosted its sewage treatment process and encouraged awareness of the need for farmers and industry to reduce toxic pesticide use.
Mrs Barden added: "We are thrilled these rare creatures have returned to the river and will continue our work to improve both the quality of water they hunt in and surrounding habitat where they set up home."
Meanwhile, turnover and profits are up at the firm in the six months to September.
The results show an increase in turnover of 0.2 per cent or £400,000 from £222.5 million to £222.9 million, while profit after tax increased by £3.3 million from £57.1 million to £60.4 million.
The firm will be investing a further £1bn – more per year than ever before – to improve water and sewerage infrastructure between now and 2015, with more than 300 schemes to reduce sewer flooding and increase sewer capacity to deal with the effects of climate change.
Additionally, work will begin to construct a new water supply grid – the firm's largest ever project – which will help manage water more effectively across the region, moving supplies around its territory.
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Increase-otters-offers-proof-cleaner-river/article-2958870-detail/article.html
The water company is confident that projects to improve the management of water being released into rivers after the sewage treatment process has improved water quality in the Avon.
The National Otter Survey shows that the animals are now living at many sites along the river in habitats where no trace of the creature could be found 10 years ago.
Otters rely on high-quality water habitats to supply enough fish to support them and their presence is seen as a canary-in-a-mine style confirmation of lack of pollution.
Ruth Barden, head of environment and conservation at Claverton Down-based Wessex, said: "We have made a collective effort to improve rivers and provide the healthy habitat essential to allow otter populations to thrive.
"This is a great indication that water quality is good and all the hard work we have been undertaking has brought significant benefits."
The survey took place at 15 sites along the Avon, with the number being used by otters up from one at the start of the decade to 10 now.
The firm has boosted its sewage treatment process and encouraged awareness of the need for farmers and industry to reduce toxic pesticide use.
Mrs Barden added: "We are thrilled these rare creatures have returned to the river and will continue our work to improve both the quality of water they hunt in and surrounding habitat where they set up home."
Meanwhile, turnover and profits are up at the firm in the six months to September.
The results show an increase in turnover of 0.2 per cent or £400,000 from £222.5 million to £222.9 million, while profit after tax increased by £3.3 million from £57.1 million to £60.4 million.
The firm will be investing a further £1bn – more per year than ever before – to improve water and sewerage infrastructure between now and 2015, with more than 300 schemes to reduce sewer flooding and increase sewer capacity to deal with the effects of climate change.
Additionally, work will begin to construct a new water supply grid – the firm's largest ever project – which will help manage water more effectively across the region, moving supplies around its territory.
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Increase-otters-offers-proof-cleaner-river/article-2958870-detail/article.html
Increase in otters offers proof of a cleaner river
An increase in otters in the River Avon near Bath has led scientists at city firm Wessex Water to believe its work to improve water quality has benefited local wildlife.
The water company is confident that projects to improve the management of water being released into rivers after the sewage treatment process has improved water quality in the Avon.
The National Otter Survey shows that the animals are now living at many sites along the river in habitats where no trace of the creature could be found 10 years ago.
Otters rely on high-quality water habitats to supply enough fish to support them and their presence is seen as a canary-in-a-mine style confirmation of lack of pollution.
Ruth Barden, head of environment and conservation at Claverton Down-based Wessex, said: "We have made a collective effort to improve rivers and provide the healthy habitat essential to allow otter populations to thrive.
"This is a great indication that water quality is good and all the hard work we have been undertaking has brought significant benefits."
The survey took place at 15 sites along the Avon, with the number being used by otters up from one at the start of the decade to 10 now.
The firm has boosted its sewage treatment process and encouraged awareness of the need for farmers and industry to reduce toxic pesticide use.
Mrs Barden added: "We are thrilled these rare creatures have returned to the river and will continue our work to improve both the quality of water they hunt in and surrounding habitat where they set up home."
Meanwhile, turnover and profits are up at the firm in the six months to September.
The results show an increase in turnover of 0.2 per cent or £400,000 from £222.5 million to £222.9 million, while profit after tax increased by £3.3 million from £57.1 million to £60.4 million.
The firm will be investing a further £1bn – more per year than ever before – to improve water and sewerage infrastructure between now and 2015, with more than 300 schemes to reduce sewer flooding and increase sewer capacity to deal with the effects of climate change.
Additionally, work will begin to construct a new water supply grid – the firm's largest ever project – which will help manage water more effectively across the region, moving supplies around its territory.
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Increase-otters-offers-proof-cleaner-river/article-2958870-detail/article.html
The water company is confident that projects to improve the management of water being released into rivers after the sewage treatment process has improved water quality in the Avon.
The National Otter Survey shows that the animals are now living at many sites along the river in habitats where no trace of the creature could be found 10 years ago.
Otters rely on high-quality water habitats to supply enough fish to support them and their presence is seen as a canary-in-a-mine style confirmation of lack of pollution.
Ruth Barden, head of environment and conservation at Claverton Down-based Wessex, said: "We have made a collective effort to improve rivers and provide the healthy habitat essential to allow otter populations to thrive.
"This is a great indication that water quality is good and all the hard work we have been undertaking has brought significant benefits."
The survey took place at 15 sites along the Avon, with the number being used by otters up from one at the start of the decade to 10 now.
The firm has boosted its sewage treatment process and encouraged awareness of the need for farmers and industry to reduce toxic pesticide use.
Mrs Barden added: "We are thrilled these rare creatures have returned to the river and will continue our work to improve both the quality of water they hunt in and surrounding habitat where they set up home."
Meanwhile, turnover and profits are up at the firm in the six months to September.
The results show an increase in turnover of 0.2 per cent or £400,000 from £222.5 million to £222.9 million, while profit after tax increased by £3.3 million from £57.1 million to £60.4 million.
The firm will be investing a further £1bn – more per year than ever before – to improve water and sewerage infrastructure between now and 2015, with more than 300 schemes to reduce sewer flooding and increase sewer capacity to deal with the effects of climate change.
Additionally, work will begin to construct a new water supply grid – the firm's largest ever project – which will help manage water more effectively across the region, moving supplies around its territory.
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Increase-otters-offers-proof-cleaner-river/article-2958870-detail/article.html
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Rare Otter civet filmed for first time in Borneo
By Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
Editor, Earth News
An elusive mammal known as an Otter civet has been filmed in the wild for the first time, experts believe.
Conservationists surveying wildlife in the Deramakot Forest Reserve in the state of Sabah, Borneo took video of a pair crossing a road at night.
Otter civets are a type of civet, small primitive long-bodied cat-like mammals.
The announcement follows the rediscovery of the world's rarest otter in Deramakot Forest Reserve by the same scientific survey.
"I guess nobody can say this with 100% certainty, but as far as I know this is the first video ever taken of this species," says Mr Andreas Wilting, leader of the Conservation of Carnivores in Sabah (ConCaSa) project initiated by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) and performed in collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department and Sabah Forestry Department.
"I and my colleagues at least have never seen a video before."
Mr Wilting's team spotted the Otter civets (Cynogale bennettii) along a old logging road, watching as one fed upon an insect.
The Otter civet is thought to be the rarest civet species in southeast Asia.
As part of a two year survey of small carnivore species in the Deramakot Forest Reserve, the ConCaSa survey photographed Otter civets using camera traps on ten occassions.
More surprising, they managed to film the species in the wild on two occasions.
Otter civets are semi-aquatic, living in wet, lowland areas, a habitat that is being destroyed across much of southeast Asia.
Details of the latest finding have been published in the journal Small Carnivore Conservation, a publication of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission.
Rarely seen species
In the same issue, the scientific survey team lists a host of other rarely seen small carnivore species spotted or photographed in the reserve.
Of Borneo's eight vivverid species, the researchers recorded six: the Binturong (Arctictis binturong), Malay civet (Viverra tangaunga), Common Palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphro), Small-toothed Palm civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata), Banded civet (Hemigalus derbyanus) and previously mentioned Otter civet.
Other small carnivores caught on camera were the Sunda stink-badger (Mydaus javanensis), and two species of mongoose, the very common Short-tailed mongoose (Herpestes brachyurus) and the Collared mongoose (H. semitorquatus), and all three Bornean otter species, the Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) and the extremely elusive Hairy-nosed otter, considered to be the world's rarest otter.
Yesterday, the ConCaSa project released a photograph showing the rediscovery of the Hairy-nosed otter in Borneo by the same scientific survey.
Earlier this year, the same project released the first video to be made public of a wild Sundaland clouded leopard.
Many of these species are classified as globally endangered, threatened or vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Of Borneo's eight vivverid species, the researchers recorded six: the Binturong (Arctictis binturong), Malay civet (Viverra tangaunga), Common Palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphro), Small-toothed Palm civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata), Banded civet (Hemigalus derbyanus) and previously mentioned Otter civet.
Other small carnivores caught on camera were the Sunda stink-badger (Mydaus javanensis), and two species of mongoose, the very common Short-tailed mongoose (Herpestes brachyurus) and the Collared mongoose (H. semitorquatus), and all three Bornean otter species, the Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) and the extremely elusive Hairy-nosed otter, considered to be the world's rarest otter.
Yesterday, the ConCaSa project released a photograph showing the rediscovery of the Hairy-nosed otter in Borneo by the same scientific survey.
Earlier this year, the same project released the first video to be made public of a wild Sundaland clouded leopard.
Many of these species are classified as globally endangered, threatened or vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Further steps to protect Bornean otters and other carnivores will be developed at the Borneo Carnivore Symposium, which will be held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia in June 2011.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8854000/8854529.stmTuesday, April 13, 2010
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The world's longest study of a predator-prey relationship
Trouble in nature's laboratoryThe world's longest study of a predator-prey relationship has brought disturbing news. Should man intervene when nature makes it a struggle to survive?
By Tom Meersman, Star Tribune
October 28, 2009
PICTURED ABOVE: An adult moose weighs 700 to 1,000 pounds and munches 30 to 40 pounds of vegetation each day. This cow moose looked up while eating its noonday meal in a shallow pond on Isle Royale. Its calf was nearby. By Brian Peterson, Star Tribune.
ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK
Rolf Peterson held up his arm for silence and pointed through the thick brush.
A hundred yards off the trail, a female moose sporting a shiny new mahogany winter coat was knee-deep in muck, munching on plants. She raised her head nonchalantly, then flicked up her ears and froze as she spotted observers. After a long minute, she plodded up toward firmer ground. A calf popped out of the brush and trotted after her.
Research happens up close in the world's longest continuous study of predators and prey at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Peterson has been watching and counting moose and wolves in this wilderness off Minnesota's North Shore for nearly 40 of the study's 51 years, in summer by foot and in winter by air.
Now that continuity is at a breaking point. The island's moose population is nearing a 50-year low, and what's bad for the moose is worse for the wolves that depend on them. Peterson can see the day when the wolves die out on Isle Royale, and scientists must confront far-reaching questions: Should we intervene to help the wolves survive, or let them die out and start again? What role should humans play to preserve an ecosystem?
Disrupting the extraordinary research has ramifications far beyond the wolves on Isle Royale.
Through the years, the study has provided unprecedented information about how long wolves live in the wild, and how much prey they kill. For wildlife managers around the world who want to reintroduce wolves into an ecosystem, as they have in the Yellowstone National Park area, the answers emerging from the Isle Royale research have been crucial to their efforts.
Big decisions will have to be made. "The risks for wolves seem to be pretty large and growing," Peterson said.
Outhouse and otters
Peterson and his wife, Candy, live and work out of a one-room log cabin built by Jack Bangsund, a Norwegian bachelor fisherman in 1931, the year Isle Royale became a national park. A Norwegian flag flutters outside the cabin in his honor. Under the cabin's slanting floor, otters have hollowed out space to sleep and squabble. Loons call from the waters of Rock Harbor just beyond the rickety dock.
The lifestyle marries the pioneer with the 21st century. There's no running water, and the outhouse is in the back. A sleek, vertical Finnish wind generator and a pair of solar panels power a couple of light bulbs -- and the computers hooked via satellite dish to the Internet.
Under a ceiling papered with moose posters, family photos and island maps, Peterson has based his summer field work since 1970 when he joined the wolf-moose study as a 21-year-old graduate student.
Now 60, Peterson has retired from a teaching career at Michigan Technological University, but has no plans to give up this study, the love of his life. Trim and fit, he backpacks and bushwhacks through alder and hazelnut bushes with the energy of someone half his age. He climbs a spindly ladder to the roof of an old fire lookout tower, grasping a portable antenna to check signals from radio-collared wolves. It's an iconic scene of a field scientist in a goofy sunhat leaning into the wind, listening for beeps and watching a meter with experienced blue eyes.
Science without a rival
Isle Royale is an ideal outdoor laboratory. About 22 miles off the shore of northeastern Minnesota, its remote location makes it difficult to reach even in summer, when most visitors arrive by boat. Its terrain is a rugged mix of parallel valleys and rocky ridges, as if a giant claw scraped across its surface, as a glacier did 8,000 years ago. With no roads, no hunting and almost no human presence, it's a magnet for scientists to study plants and wildlife.
The moose-wolf study began in 1958. Durward Allen of Purdue University spent a decade learning how the two species seemed to be in balance, with each growing or declining at approximately the same rates. But that neat balance soon got messy, and the populations spiked and plunged over the decades with changes in snow depth, vegetation, diseases, parasites, higher summer temperatures and shorter winters.
By studying how much wolves prey on moose, said John Vucetich, research co-leader with Peterson, scientists can help answer a longstanding question of interest to sportsmen. "When we live with wolves, wherever it may be, we have to be concerned about the fact that they eat animals that humans also like to hunt" such as elk and deer, Vucetich said.
"In terms of the value of that study to science, nothing else rivals it," said Mark Romanski, biologist and acting chief scientist at Isle Royale National Park.
The park service contributes about $36,000 annually to Peterson's research, the National Science Foundation funds $90,000, and individuals and a small endowment provide about $25,000.
Collapse of a pack
Peterson's field station, while visually idyllic, doesn't always smell so good. Part of his research is to collect the carcasses of wolves and the skulls and other body parts of moose. A hand-made sign in front of bones collected in 2009 explains why studying the bones is important: "When they get old, moose exhibit arthritis, periodontal disease, osteoporosis. Sound familiar?"
Wolf skeletons became especially significant after a Swedish researcher discovered three years ago that Isle Royale wolves have a spinal deformity that's a sign of inbreeding, Peterson said. The park service is planning a scientific review.
One day last month Peterson cooked the carcass of a female wolf that died trying to give birth to eight pups last spring. He wore protective gloves and glasses as he lifted the skull from a boiling cauldron. He plunked the grisly mess on a picnic table, wrinkled his face at the odor, and tried to pull muscles, tendons and tongue away from the skull.
"Not done enough yet," he said, returning it to the cooker.
The death of this one female meant the collapse of an entire pack -- one of four on the island. The pack had lost several members in recent years, and by early 2009 contained only one male and one female. Her death and that of her unborn pups were the pack's last hope for regeneration.
Wolves have struggled to survive since the 1980s, when a domestic dog brought illegally to the island spread canine parvovirus. Their numbers dropped from a peak of 50 to 14 in two years, and have never fully recovered.
The current populations of about 24 wolves and 530 moose are close to what they were 50 winters ago, Peterson said, but each is at risk.
The wolves have lost more than half of their genetic variability compared with wolves on the mainland, he said. Moose are being stressed by higher summer temperatures that cause them to eat less, produce less fat for winter survival and die of starvation, Vucetich said.
Moose are also plagued by life-threatening ticks that have multiplied in the rising temperatures.
"Climate change is certainly an additional pressure, and it's the big one," Peterson said.
Night howls and spirits
So far the Park Service tradition has been not to intervene. "Our policy is basically to let nature take its course," Romanski said.
But the prospect of the wolves' extinction is forcing a new look at that policy. "It's not just a science-based decision," Romanski said. "It's a blend of science and stewardship and conservation that will have to be addressed."
For Michael Nelson, associate professor of environmental ethics at Michigan State University: "It's a moral question of should we genetically rescue this population or not, and how should we interact with these wolves." He is writing a history of the wolf-moose study.
Scientific value cuts both ways, Nelson said. There is value in making sure that the wolves do not disappear so that the study can continue. But there would also be value in letting the wolves die out and studying how their absence affects moose populations, forest growth and other wildlife.
Backpackers on the island last month had mixed feelings about the future of wolves there. The hikers were tanned, rumpled and clutching mugs of steaming coffee as they departed Isle Royale on a windy day. Voyageur II, a 60-foot aluminum diesel cruiser, bucked three-foot swells on the trip back to the North Shore.
"It doesn't matter about the wolves and moose," said June Huffman of Zion, Ill., who was finishing her third trip to the park. "It's an interesting thing, but not the whole reason to come here. You come for the beauty and the solitude."
Dennis Nelson of Stillwater begged to differ. "As far as the experience here, the expectation or hope that you might see a wolf or a moose is part of the draw to come here."
Whatever the future brings, Peterson knows that the island is not as remote or protected as he once believed. "I sort of gave up the notion that parks are undisturbed sanctuaries that we can just stand back and watch," he said. But Peterson clings to the belief that in a place as wild as Isle Royale, man should strive to intervene as little as possible. He's in no rush to rescue the wolves quite yet, although it may soon become necessary to do so.
If the 51-year-old study proves anything, he said, it's that ecology is so complicated and unpredictable that people should be cautious about thinking they can manage it.
"Someone once said that nature is not more complex than we thought, it's more complex than we can think," he said.
http://www.startribune.com/local/65885332.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU
(Submitted by D.R. Shoop)
The world's longest study of a predator-prey relationship
Trouble in nature's laboratoryThe world's longest study of a predator-prey relationship has brought disturbing news. Should man intervene when nature makes it a struggle to survive?
By Tom Meersman, Star Tribune
October 28, 2009
PICTURED ABOVE: An adult moose weighs 700 to 1,000 pounds and munches 30 to 40 pounds of vegetation each day. This cow moose looked up while eating its noonday meal in a shallow pond on Isle Royale. Its calf was nearby. By Brian Peterson, Star Tribune.
ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK
Rolf Peterson held up his arm for silence and pointed through the thick brush.
A hundred yards off the trail, a female moose sporting a shiny new mahogany winter coat was knee-deep in muck, munching on plants. She raised her head nonchalantly, then flicked up her ears and froze as she spotted observers. After a long minute, she plodded up toward firmer ground. A calf popped out of the brush and trotted after her.
Research happens up close in the world's longest continuous study of predators and prey at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Peterson has been watching and counting moose and wolves in this wilderness off Minnesota's North Shore for nearly 40 of the study's 51 years, in summer by foot and in winter by air.
Now that continuity is at a breaking point. The island's moose population is nearing a 50-year low, and what's bad for the moose is worse for the wolves that depend on them. Peterson can see the day when the wolves die out on Isle Royale, and scientists must confront far-reaching questions: Should we intervene to help the wolves survive, or let them die out and start again? What role should humans play to preserve an ecosystem?
Disrupting the extraordinary research has ramifications far beyond the wolves on Isle Royale.
Through the years, the study has provided unprecedented information about how long wolves live in the wild, and how much prey they kill. For wildlife managers around the world who want to reintroduce wolves into an ecosystem, as they have in the Yellowstone National Park area, the answers emerging from the Isle Royale research have been crucial to their efforts.
Big decisions will have to be made. "The risks for wolves seem to be pretty large and growing," Peterson said.
Outhouse and otters
Peterson and his wife, Candy, live and work out of a one-room log cabin built by Jack Bangsund, a Norwegian bachelor fisherman in 1931, the year Isle Royale became a national park. A Norwegian flag flutters outside the cabin in his honor. Under the cabin's slanting floor, otters have hollowed out space to sleep and squabble. Loons call from the waters of Rock Harbor just beyond the rickety dock.
The lifestyle marries the pioneer with the 21st century. There's no running water, and the outhouse is in the back. A sleek, vertical Finnish wind generator and a pair of solar panels power a couple of light bulbs -- and the computers hooked via satellite dish to the Internet.
Under a ceiling papered with moose posters, family photos and island maps, Peterson has based his summer field work since 1970 when he joined the wolf-moose study as a 21-year-old graduate student.
Now 60, Peterson has retired from a teaching career at Michigan Technological University, but has no plans to give up this study, the love of his life. Trim and fit, he backpacks and bushwhacks through alder and hazelnut bushes with the energy of someone half his age. He climbs a spindly ladder to the roof of an old fire lookout tower, grasping a portable antenna to check signals from radio-collared wolves. It's an iconic scene of a field scientist in a goofy sunhat leaning into the wind, listening for beeps and watching a meter with experienced blue eyes.
Science without a rival
Isle Royale is an ideal outdoor laboratory. About 22 miles off the shore of northeastern Minnesota, its remote location makes it difficult to reach even in summer, when most visitors arrive by boat. Its terrain is a rugged mix of parallel valleys and rocky ridges, as if a giant claw scraped across its surface, as a glacier did 8,000 years ago. With no roads, no hunting and almost no human presence, it's a magnet for scientists to study plants and wildlife.
The moose-wolf study began in 1958. Durward Allen of Purdue University spent a decade learning how the two species seemed to be in balance, with each growing or declining at approximately the same rates. But that neat balance soon got messy, and the populations spiked and plunged over the decades with changes in snow depth, vegetation, diseases, parasites, higher summer temperatures and shorter winters.
By studying how much wolves prey on moose, said John Vucetich, research co-leader with Peterson, scientists can help answer a longstanding question of interest to sportsmen. "When we live with wolves, wherever it may be, we have to be concerned about the fact that they eat animals that humans also like to hunt" such as elk and deer, Vucetich said.
"In terms of the value of that study to science, nothing else rivals it," said Mark Romanski, biologist and acting chief scientist at Isle Royale National Park.
The park service contributes about $36,000 annually to Peterson's research, the National Science Foundation funds $90,000, and individuals and a small endowment provide about $25,000.
Collapse of a pack
Peterson's field station, while visually idyllic, doesn't always smell so good. Part of his research is to collect the carcasses of wolves and the skulls and other body parts of moose. A hand-made sign in front of bones collected in 2009 explains why studying the bones is important: "When they get old, moose exhibit arthritis, periodontal disease, osteoporosis. Sound familiar?"
Wolf skeletons became especially significant after a Swedish researcher discovered three years ago that Isle Royale wolves have a spinal deformity that's a sign of inbreeding, Peterson said. The park service is planning a scientific review.
One day last month Peterson cooked the carcass of a female wolf that died trying to give birth to eight pups last spring. He wore protective gloves and glasses as he lifted the skull from a boiling cauldron. He plunked the grisly mess on a picnic table, wrinkled his face at the odor, and tried to pull muscles, tendons and tongue away from the skull.
"Not done enough yet," he said, returning it to the cooker.
The death of this one female meant the collapse of an entire pack -- one of four on the island. The pack had lost several members in recent years, and by early 2009 contained only one male and one female. Her death and that of her unborn pups were the pack's last hope for regeneration.
Wolves have struggled to survive since the 1980s, when a domestic dog brought illegally to the island spread canine parvovirus. Their numbers dropped from a peak of 50 to 14 in two years, and have never fully recovered.
The current populations of about 24 wolves and 530 moose are close to what they were 50 winters ago, Peterson said, but each is at risk.
The wolves have lost more than half of their genetic variability compared with wolves on the mainland, he said. Moose are being stressed by higher summer temperatures that cause them to eat less, produce less fat for winter survival and die of starvation, Vucetich said.
Moose are also plagued by life-threatening ticks that have multiplied in the rising temperatures.
"Climate change is certainly an additional pressure, and it's the big one," Peterson said.
Night howls and spirits
So far the Park Service tradition has been not to intervene. "Our policy is basically to let nature take its course," Romanski said.
But the prospect of the wolves' extinction is forcing a new look at that policy. "It's not just a science-based decision," Romanski said. "It's a blend of science and stewardship and conservation that will have to be addressed."
For Michael Nelson, associate professor of environmental ethics at Michigan State University: "It's a moral question of should we genetically rescue this population or not, and how should we interact with these wolves." He is writing a history of the wolf-moose study.
Scientific value cuts both ways, Nelson said. There is value in making sure that the wolves do not disappear so that the study can continue. But there would also be value in letting the wolves die out and studying how their absence affects moose populations, forest growth and other wildlife.
Backpackers on the island last month had mixed feelings about the future of wolves there. The hikers were tanned, rumpled and clutching mugs of steaming coffee as they departed Isle Royale on a windy day. Voyageur II, a 60-foot aluminum diesel cruiser, bucked three-foot swells on the trip back to the North Shore.
"It doesn't matter about the wolves and moose," said June Huffman of Zion, Ill., who was finishing her third trip to the park. "It's an interesting thing, but not the whole reason to come here. You come for the beauty and the solitude."
Dennis Nelson of Stillwater begged to differ. "As far as the experience here, the expectation or hope that you might see a wolf or a moose is part of the draw to come here."
Whatever the future brings, Peterson knows that the island is not as remote or protected as he once believed. "I sort of gave up the notion that parks are undisturbed sanctuaries that we can just stand back and watch," he said. But Peterson clings to the belief that in a place as wild as Isle Royale, man should strive to intervene as little as possible. He's in no rush to rescue the wolves quite yet, although it may soon become necessary to do so.
If the 51-year-old study proves anything, he said, it's that ecology is so complicated and unpredictable that people should be cautious about thinking they can manage it.
"Someone once said that nature is not more complex than we thought, it's more complex than we can think," he said.
http://www.startribune.com/local/65885332.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU
(Submitted by D.R. Shoop)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Man is cited for owning an endangered ape
He'd already been accused of keeping wild animals, including a river otter
STAMFORD, Conn. - A man already accused of keeping a collection of wild animals including a river otter and a two-toed sloth has been cited for owning an endangered ape.
Pierce Onthank, the president of an oil and gas company, is charged with illegal possession of a primate for keeping a siamang, a type of gibbon that is native to rain forests in Malaysia and Indonesia and can weigh up to 30 pounds and stand 3 feet high.
Onthank's wife, Susan Onthank, said their 2-year-old siamang, Koby, weighs about 14 pounds and wears diapers. She said her husband would make a statement by Monday, when he is scheduled to be in court for the infraction.
The charge against Onthank, who could face a fine of less than $500, comes a month after a Stamford woman, Charla Nash, was mauled by a 200-pound (91-kilogram) chimpanzee owned by a friend, Sandra Herold. Nash, 55, is hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Exotic animal laws under scrutiny
The mauling triggered Congress and state officials to consider strengthening laws against keeping exotic animals. A bill proposed by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy would impose penalties of up to one year in prison and a $2,000 fine.
Authorities say Onthank took Koby to the Lionshare Zoological Center in the Greenwich/Stamford area in October while trying to sell his house in nearby Fairfield, where the animal control office had registered 16 incidents involving his dogs and neighbors had complained he had 12 monkeys, a tortoise, large iguanas and an otter.
Lionshare's owner said the pet siamang had very thin hair and dry skin, and a curator there said Onthank also had owned monkeys, lemurs and a two-toed sloth, a court affidavit stated.
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection began investigating and learned Onthank never had the required state and federal permits for the ape, the affidavit said.
Onthank, who also is being investigated by federal authorities, has "a history of improper care and control of both exotic and domestic animals," it said. He took a primate to a veterinary office to be treated for pneumonia in 2006, and a dehydrated baby sloth he owned died in 2005, it said.
Onthank, 49, heads Westport-based American Energy Group, an oil and gas drilling company that has interests in Pakistan and Galveston, Texas.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29586544/
STAMFORD, Conn. - A man already accused of keeping a collection of wild animals including a river otter and a two-toed sloth has been cited for owning an endangered ape.
Pierce Onthank, the president of an oil and gas company, is charged with illegal possession of a primate for keeping a siamang, a type of gibbon that is native to rain forests in Malaysia and Indonesia and can weigh up to 30 pounds and stand 3 feet high.
Onthank's wife, Susan Onthank, said their 2-year-old siamang, Koby, weighs about 14 pounds and wears diapers. She said her husband would make a statement by Monday, when he is scheduled to be in court for the infraction.
The charge against Onthank, who could face a fine of less than $500, comes a month after a Stamford woman, Charla Nash, was mauled by a 200-pound (91-kilogram) chimpanzee owned by a friend, Sandra Herold. Nash, 55, is hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Exotic animal laws under scrutiny
The mauling triggered Congress and state officials to consider strengthening laws against keeping exotic animals. A bill proposed by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy would impose penalties of up to one year in prison and a $2,000 fine.
Authorities say Onthank took Koby to the Lionshare Zoological Center in the Greenwich/Stamford area in October while trying to sell his house in nearby Fairfield, where the animal control office had registered 16 incidents involving his dogs and neighbors had complained he had 12 monkeys, a tortoise, large iguanas and an otter.
Lionshare's owner said the pet siamang had very thin hair and dry skin, and a curator there said Onthank also had owned monkeys, lemurs and a two-toed sloth, a court affidavit stated.
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection began investigating and learned Onthank never had the required state and federal permits for the ape, the affidavit said.
Onthank, who also is being investigated by federal authorities, has "a history of improper care and control of both exotic and domestic animals," it said. He took a primate to a veterinary office to be treated for pneumonia in 2006, and a dehydrated baby sloth he owned died in 2005, it said.
Onthank, 49, heads Westport-based American Energy Group, an oil and gas drilling company that has interests in Pakistan and Galveston, Texas.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29586544/
Monday, February 23, 2009
Rare sea otter at Depoe Bay
TERRY RICHARD; The Oregonian
20 February 2009
The Oregonian
Sunrise
Oregon has a rare visitor --a sea otter that can be easily seen from the sea wall at Depoe Bay.
A federally protected endangered species, sea otters became extinct off the Oregon coast in 1906 when the last one was confirmed killed. A reintroduction attempt failed in the early 1970s.
Since then, solo sea otters have been confirmed at Yaquina Head in the 1990s and at Cape Arago in February 2003.
The latest sea otter was photographed Wednesday in the Depoe Bay Harbor, looking down from the U.S. 101 bridge, by Morris Grover, manager of the Oregon State Park's Whale Watching Center at Depoe Bay.
On Thursday, Grover and others watched the sea otter eating and sleeping while drifting north, 20 to 30 yards offshore from the whale center. The center is on the ocean side of Depoe Bay at the north end of the U.S. 101 bridge, which crosses the harbor.
A photograph of the sea otter was confirmed by two marine mammal experts, Jim Rice of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, and James Estes of the University of California at Santa Cruz.
While elated by the sighting, Rice cautioned people to not read too much into it.
"It may be a fluke, a single animal wandering into Oregon waters," Rice said. "Without other otters, it will be impossible to reproduce and repopulate, so it wouldn't amount to much.
"On the other hand, one animal means there could well be more out there. If one is able to survive, it could mean we have the right ecological habitat for others to follow," he said.
Sea otters are popular exhibits at the Oregon Zoo in Portland and the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport.
Sea otters formerly ranged throughout the North Pacific, but were wiped out in many of their habitats by hunting. They were protected by federal law in 1913, when the population was estimated to be as low as 2,000.
A reintroduction attempt brought 31 sea otters from Alaska's Aleutian islands in 1970 and another 64 in 1971 to the southern Oregon coast near Port Orford. The population either did not survive or individuals migrated north to colder water.
The closest otter populations to Oregon are southern sea otters in central California and northern sea otters off the Olympic coast in Washington. The Washington population is the result of a successful transplant program. California otters are from a population that survived the otter hunting years.
During February, ocean currents off Oregon are from the south, so this sea otter is probably from the California colony, which normally ranges no farther north than San Francisco Bay.
Sea otters can weigh up to 100 pounds, making them the largest member of the weasel family, but the smallest marine mammal.
They are considered to be a keystone species, meaning their presence profoundly affects the ecosystem. A major part of a sea otter's diet is sea urchins. Without sea otters to eat sea urchins, the sea urchin population can explode and adversely affect the underwater kelp forests, resulting in "sea urchin barrens."
Rice said the best way for people to view the sea otter is from the sea wall in Depoe Bay, provided the otter stays around.
"We certainly don't want a flood of people out looking for the animal from boats on the water," he said. "We don't want to scare this animal away."
Federal laws prohibits harassment of an endangered species and calls for a $25,000 fine.
Terry Richard; 503-221-8222
terryrichard@news.oregonian.com
blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard
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