Publications

impact of organochlorine pesticide residues and pcbs on otters (lutra lutra) in eastern england.	a study of otter (lutra lutra) populations and levels of organochlorine (oc) pesticide residues and pcbs in otter faeces (spraints) was made on rivers in east anglia, england. population and contaminant levels are compared against target values. it is thought that the native otter population was almost extirpated during the study period. the current population must derive largely, if not entirely, from captive-bred animals introduced since 1983. its range has expanded little and population level ...	1993	8259487
impact of organochlorine pesticide residues and pcbs on otters (lutra lutra): a study from western britain.	a study of otter (lutra lutra) populations and levels of organochlorine (oc) pesticide residues and pcbs in otter droppings (spraints) was made on eight stretches of river in three catchments in wales and west midland england. population and contaminant levels were compared against target values. the otter populations (as measured by an index) remained stable on one stretch over 11 years, while they increased rapidly to equilibrium on four other stretches. the three lower stretches of rivers sho ...	1993	8259486
pcbs and organochlorine pesticide residues in otters (lutra lutra) and in otter spraints from sw england and their likely impact on populations.	pcb and organochlorine pesticide residues were determined in otter (lutra lutra) spraints (faeces) from nine catchment regions in sw england over the period 1989-1991. results of analyses of tissues from 22 otters are also presented. dieldrin occurred in the majority of spraint samples and p,p-dde and total pcbs in all. lindane occurred mainly in samples collected in spring. lindane was not found in otter tissues collected after 1991, but dieldrin, p,p-dde and pcbs were found in all tissues. die ...	1994	8209234
health status of otters (lutra lutra) in south-west england based on postmortem findings.	seventy-seven wild otters found dead in south-west england between 1988 and 1996 were examined postmortem. road traffic accidents were responsible for 64 of the deaths and there were marked seasonal peaks. bite wounds were present in 12 animals and five were considered to have died from their injuries. the animals' general nutritional state was good, but the males were in overall poorer condition than the females. there was little evidence of infectious disease and the results suggested a young, ...	1997	9292974
decline in pcb levels in otters (lutra lutra).	a decline in total pcb levels in tissues of otters (lutra lutra) from england and wales, averaging 8% per year over the period 1983-1992, is reported. mean pcb levels are now unlikely to pose a threat to otter populations.	1998	9532727
detection of aleutian disease antibodies in feral american mink in southern england.	fourteen of 27 american mink (mustela vison) trapped in the upper thames region were positive for anti-aleutian disease antibodies. this demonstration of the occurrence of this viral disease in a feral american mink population suggests that it could threaten populations of at least two protected mustelids, the otter (lutra lutra) and the polecat (mustela putorius), and may also play a role in the apparent decline of local mink populations in britain.	2001	11700927
similar estimates of population genetic composition and sex ratio derived from carcasses and faeces of eurasian otter lutra lutra.	collecting faeces is viewed as a potentially efficient way to sample elusive animals. nonetheless, any biases in estimates of population composition associated with such sampling remain uncharacterized. the goal of this study was to compare estimates of genetic composition and sex ratio derived from eurasian otter lutra lutra spraints (faeces) with estimates derived from carcasses. twenty per cent of 426 wild-collected spraints from sw england yielded composite genotypes for 7-9 microsatellites ...	2003	12492895
retinal dysplasia in wild otters (lutra lutra).	eyes from 88 otters found dead in south-west england between 1990 and 2000, were collected as part of a larger pathological study. histopathological examination of 131 eyes revealed dysplastic changes such as rosetting and folding in the retinas of 26 of the otters. in the eyes of 42 of the otters there were postmortem and fixation-induced retinal detachment which complicated the differentiation of dysplastic from normal retina, but 11 eyes had folds which probably indicated a dysplastic patholo ...	2004	15285284
growth in otter (lutra lutra) populations in the uk as shown by long-term monitoring.	european otters declined dramatically from the 1950s, disappearing from many rivers. we report here on longterm monitoring (from 1977) in 3 catchments in western britain that were recolonized naturally and in 2 catchments in eastern england that were reinforced by captive-bred otters. a minimum of 16-years data was collected on each river until 2002. at a series of sites in each study river, the percentages which were positive for otters and the number of spraints per sprainting site were record ...	2004	15151385
cholecystitis in otters (lutra lutra) and mink (mustela vison) caused by the fluke pseudamphistomum truncatum.	between 1988 and 2004, postmortem examinations were carried out on 445 otters found dead, mostly as a result of road traffic accidents, in southern and south-west england. thickened, shrunken gall bladders were observed in 10 cases, the first in 2000 and the others between february 2002 and august 2004. a digenean fluke, pseudamphistomum truncatum, was found in the gall bladders of three cases and also in three of seven american mink examined. nine of the 10 otters and all the mink came from a l ...	2005	16006641
patterns and significance of bite wounds in eurasian otters (lutra lutra) in southern and south-west england.	postmortem examinations were carried out on 379 otters found dead in southern and south-west england between 1988 and 2003. most (81 per cent) were road casualties, but many had open bite wounds and in some cases these had proved fatal. mortality was strongly seasonal and was positively correlated with night length. although numbers decreased in the summer months, the prevalence of bite wounds in adults was highest in late summer. the number of otters examined annually and the prevalence of bite ...	2006	16443836
prevalence, distribution and pathological significance of the bile fluke pseudamphistomum truncatum in eurasian otters (lutra lutra) in great britain.	postmortem examinations on 160 otters found dead in great britain from 2005 to 2007 showed a high prevalence of infection with the bile fluke pseudamphistomum truncatum in otters from somerset and dorset but no infection in otters from other areas, including cornwall, the western half of devon, north-east england and scotland. cases were also recorded for the first time in gloucestershire and east anglia. eighteen of the 28 infected otters were male and no cubs were infected, but there was no si ...	2009	19329809
distribution of eurasian otter biliary parasites, pseudamphistomum truncatum and metorchis albidus (family opisthorchiidae), in england and wales.	gall bladders from 273 otter carcasses, collected throughout england and wales, were screened to assess the status of gall bladder parasites in the eurasian otter, lutra lutra. the digenean pseudamphistomum truncatum had previously been found in uk otters collected between 2000 and 2007. the parasite was established in somerset and dorset but its distribution elsewhere in the uk was largely unknown. in the current study, p. truncatum was also found to be abundant in south wales, with occasional ...	2009	19523253
the impact of native competitors on an alien invasive: temporal niche shifts to avoid interspecific aggression?	the american mink, neovison vison, is an established, alien invasive species in the united kingdom that originally colonized the country at a time when two native mustelids (otters, lutra lutra, and polecats, mustela putorius) were largely absent. both of these species are now recovering their populations nationally. we compared the relative abundance and the behavior of mink in the 1990s and in the 2000s in an area of southern england where both otters and polecats were absent in the 1990s but ...	2009	19537542
renal calculi in wild eurasian otters (lutra lutra) in england.	macroscopic renal calculi were seen in 50 of 492 (10.2 per cent) wild eurasian otters found dead in england from 1988 to 2007. forty-eight adults and two subadults were affected. calculi were present in 15.7 per cent (31 of 197) of adult males and 12.7 per cent (17 of 134) of adult females. there was an increase in prevalence in the study population over time; no calculi were found in 73 otters examined between 1988 and 1996, but in most subsequent years they were observed with increased frequen ...	2011	21676988
abiotic and biotic factors associated with tick population dynamics on a mammalian host: ixodes hexagonus infesting otters, lutra lutra.	the eurasian otter, lutra lutra, hosts several parasites with zoonotic potential. as this semiaquatic mammal has large ranges across terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, it has the capacity for wide dispersion of pathogens. despite this, parasites of otters have received relatively little attention. here, we examine their ectoparasite load and assess whether this is influenced by abiotic or biotic variables. climatic phenomena such as the north atlantic oscillation (nao) affect weather c ...	2012	23071736
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) in england and wales.	toxoplasma gondii is found on all continents and can infect all endothermic vertebrates. toxoplasmosis is a globally important zoonosis with potentially devastating health impacts both for humans and a range of domestic and wild species. the world health organisation have repeatedly recommended the collection of accurate epidemiological data for t. gondii, yet despite recognised links between infection of wildlife, domestic animals and humans, seroprevalence in wild species is rarely monitored. ...	2013	23510234
high liver content of polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) in otters (lutra lutra) from england and wales.	polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes), used as flame retardants since the 1970s, are being phased out of use, but are persistent and widespread in the environment. historical declines in eurasian otter (lutra lutra) populations have been associated with exposure to dieldrin and polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), but links with other persistent organic pollutants have not been explored. in this study, liver samples from 129 otters, collected across england and wales from 1995-2006, were analysed ...	2015	25014662
spatial and seasonal factors are key determinants in the aggregation of helminths in their definitive hosts: pseudamphistomum truncatum in otters (lutra lutra).	parasites are typically aggregated within their host populations. the most heavily infected hosts are frequently cited as targets for optimal disease control. yet a heavily infected individual is not necessarily highly infective and does not automatically contribute a higher proportion of infective parasitic stages than a host with fewer parasites. here, pseudamphistomum truncatum (opisthorchiida) parasitic infection within the definitive otter host (lutra lutra) is used as a model system. the h ...	2015	25444862
east-west divide: temperature and land cover drive spatial variation of toxoplasma gondii infection in eurasian otters (lutra lutra) from england and wales.	toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic parasite of global importance, infects all endothermic vertebrates, with extensive health implications. the prevalence of this parasite is seldom monitored in wildlife. here, a semi-aquatic species, the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) was used as a model to assess the potential effect of climate, land cover and biotic factors on t. gondii seroprevalence in british wildlife. the sabin-feldman cytoplasm-modifying dye test identified t. gondii antibodies in 25·5% of blood ...	2017	28653587