Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted descending) Filter | PMID Filter |
|---|
| the genome sequence of the eurasian river otter, lutra lutra linnaeus 1758. | we present a genome assembly from an individual male lutra lutra (the eurasian river otter; vertebrata; mammalia; eutheria; carnivora; mustelidae). the genome sequence is 2.44 gigabases in span. the majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 20 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with both x and y sex chromosomes assembled. | 2020 | 32258427 |
| xanthine nephrolithiasis in juvenile captive giant otters (pteronura brasiliensis). | nephrolithiasis has been reported in several aquatic mammals including bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus), small clawed otters (amblonyx cinereus), european river otters (lutra lutra), north american river otters (lontra canadensis), northern elephant seals (mirounga angustirostris), florida manatees (trichechus manatus latirostris), and california sea lions (zalophus californianus). compositions of calculi in previous cases were predominantly calcium oxalate or ammonium acid urate. xanthi ... | 2020 | 31926528 |
| assessment of ecotoxicological risks to river otters from ingestion of invasive red swamp crayfish in metal contaminated areas: use of feces to estimate dietary exposure. | the invasive red swamp crayfish (procambarus clarkii) has become a major food resource for eurasian otters (lutra lutra) in the iberian peninsula. crayfish accumulate large amounts of metals, and hence otters could be at risk of exposure and intoxication through crayfish consumption. we conducted a food safety risk assessment for otters inhabiting two historical mining areas in central spain affected by lead (pb) and mercury (hg) pollution. estimated daily intakes (edi) of pb and hg were non-inv ... | 2020 | 31740034 |
| leptospira, parvovirus, and toxoplasma in the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) in north carolina, usa. | the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) is the largest mustelid in north carolina, usa, and was once extirpated from the central and western portions of the state. over time and after a successful reintroduction project, otters are now abundant and occur throughout north carolina. however, there is a concern that diseases may have an impact on the otter population, as well as on other aquatic mammals, either through exposure to emerging diseases, contact with domestic animals such as ... | 2020 | 32320341 |
| urban wildlife in times of covid-19: what can we infer from novel carnivore records in urban areas? | the onset of the covid-19 pandemic brought an unusual decrease in human activity associated with partial and total lockdowns. simultaneously, a series of wildlife sightings-mainly in urban areas-have been brought to public attention and often attributed to lockdown measures. here we report on a series of wild carnivore records, including threatened species, obtained through camera traps set in urban forests, campuses, suburbs, and peri-urban areas of two cities in chile, during partial lockdown ... | 2020 | 33077221 |
| the gut microbial community structure of the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) in the alberta oil sands region in canada: relationship with local environmental variables and metal body burden. | the alberta oil sands region in canada is home to one of the largest oil bitumen deposits in the world. the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) is a top predator with a small home range and is sensitive to disturbances; it has been designated as a sentinel species for the potential impacts of the natural resource exploitation on freshwater ecosystems in the alberta oil sands region. with an increasing interest in noninvasive biomarkers, recent studies suggest that gut microbiota can b ... | 2020 | 32946150 |
| spatial patterns of the exposure-response relationship between mercury and cortisol in the fur of river otter (lontra canadensis). | fur has been validated as a useful biomarker medium for chemical exposures and biological responses in wildlife. mercury (hg) is known to act as an endocrine disruptor by altering brain neurochemistry. in this study, we investigated the spatial patterns of relationships between total hg (thg) and cortisol in the fur of river otter (lontra canadensis). geotagged fur samples were obtained from a wildlife biomonitoring program (n = 72) and the north american fur auction (n = 37) between 2014 and 20 ... | 2020 | 32835981 |
| a noninvasive environmental monitoring tool for brominated flame-retardants (bfrs) assisted by conservation detection dogs. | fecal matter is a useful noninvasive/nondestructive media for evaluating contaminants in wildlife, as residues therein have been observed to correlate with body burdens. conservation detection dog-handler teams can be used to optimize the acquisition of fecal samples. to build on previous work, sentinel-species' (i.e. mink (mustela vison) and otter (lontra canadensis)) fecal matter was opportunistically located by a detection dog team along the tri-river system of missoula, montana, usa. sedimen ... | 2020 | 32682128 |
| digestible energy intake and digestive efficiency of human-managed north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | diets currently provided to captive north american river otters (lontra canadensis) are highly variable with different institutions providing various whole foods, commercial complete prepared diets, or combinations of both. this study investigated the digestible energy intake, gastrointestinal transit time, and digestive efficiency of three different diets being fed at three north carolina institutions. otters housed at institution a (n = 3) were fed strictly fish. otters housed at institutions ... | 2020 | 32395223 |
| a new species of cryptocotyle (digenea: heterophyidae) infecting kelp gull and a galaxiid fish in patagonian freshwater environments: morphological and molecular analyses. | adults of a species of cryptocotyle were found infecting the intestine of the kelp gull, larus dominicanus lichtenstein, 1823, and metacercariae were found in the fins and muscle of the galaxiid fish, galaxias platei steindachner, 1898 (local name "puyen grande"), in nahuel huapi national park (patagonia). morphometrics and genetic markers of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (coi) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (its1) confirmed that adults and metacercariae were conspecific and repr ... | 2020 | 32164027 |
| metal contamination of river otters in north carolina. | aquatic apex predators are vulnerable to environmental contaminants due to biomagnification. north american river otter (lontra canadensis) populations should be closely monitored across their range due to point and nonpoint pollution sources. nonetheless, no information exists on environmental contaminants in the north carolina otter population. metals and metalloids occur naturally across the landscape, are essential for cellular function, and become toxic when concentrated unnaturally. we con ... | 2020 | 31993757 |
| relationships between mercury concentrations in fur and stomach contents of river otter (lontra canadensis) and mink (neovison vison) in northern alberta canada and their applications as proxies for environmental factors determining mercury bioavailability. | the fur of piscivorous animals such as river otter (lontra canadensis) and mink (neovison vison) has been proposed to be used as a biomarker medium to assess mercury (hg) exposure, but the relationship with dietary and environmental hg exposure has not been fully characterized. the objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between fur total mercury (thg) and stomach content thg in river otter and mink, and their relationships with environmental factors. thg concentrations were ... | 2020 | 31806289 |
| factors influencing exposure of north american river otter (lontra canadensis) and american mink (neovison vison) to mercury relative to a large-scale reservoir in northern british columbia, canada. | although reservoir creation increases fish mercury (hg) concentrations, little information exists on its effects on hg concentrations in aquatic mammals. river otters (lontra canadensis) and american mink (neovison vison) are two aquatic mammals that have been used as model species for assessing hg bioaccumulation in aquatic systems. we assessed hg and selenium (se) concentrations in these two species within and outside of the williston reservoir (peace-williston (pw) watershed) in northern brit ... | 2019 | 30826954 |
| distribution of organic and inorganic mercury across the pelts of canadian river otter (lontra canadensis). | fur is a common biomarker of environmental mercury (hg) exposure. further, there are well-established relationships between total mercury (thg) in fur and organs. however, these models assumed that thg is uniformly distributed across the fur in a pelt. in this study, we assess the distribution of thg and methylmercury (mehg) across the pelts of four river otters (lontra canadensis). thg concentrations were measured in the topcoat (n = 95) and undercoat fur (n = 95). mehg was measured in a subset ... | 2019 | 30824798 |
| primary pleural squamous cell carcinoma in a free-ranging river otter (lontra canadensis). | an adult female north american river otter (lontra canadensis) presented with multiple intrathoracic masses identified histologically as squamous cell carcinoma. immunohistochemical staining patterns for high- molecular-weight keratin, p40, p63, calretinin, and ttf-1, along with the gross and histologic findings, indicated a primary pleural squamous cell carcinoma as the most likely diagnosis. | 2019 | 30702954 |
| identification of halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in biological samples from alberta oil-sands region. | halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (hpahs) were identified in biological samples from the alberta oil-sands region (aosr) using gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (gc-hrtof-ms) at a resolving power of 25,000. knowledge of the electron ionization (ei) fragmentation behavior of individual hpah isomers, achieved by injecting authentic standards in full-scan ms mode, was paramount in identifying a suite of hpahs in samples from the aosr. confir ... | 2019 | 30317091 |
| north american river otters (lontra canadensis) discriminate between 2d objects varying in shape and color. | we investigated the ability of north american river otters (lontra canadensis) to visually discriminate between 2d objects. the otters learned to discriminate between stimuli using multiple visual features and then were tested with stimuli in which one of the features was eliminated (color or shape). two adult otters were trained in a two-alternative forced choice task to discriminate between a red circle and a blue triangle. test sessions included probe trials containing novel shapes, colors, o ... | 2019 | 30251106 |
| paenibacillus lutrae sp. nov., a chitinolytic species isolated from a river otter in castril natural park, granada, spain. | a highly chitinolytic facultative anaerobic, chemoheterotrophic, endospore-forming, gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterial strain n10t was isolated from the feces of a river otter in the castril natural park (granada, spain). it is a slightly halophilic, motile, catalase-, oxidase-, acc deaminase- and c4 and c8 lipase-positive strain. it is aerobic, respiratory and has a fermentative metabolism using oxygen as an electron acceptor, produces acids from glucose and can fix nitrogen. phylogeneti ... | 2019 | 31810255 |
| variation in neotropical river otter (lontra longicaudis) diet: effects of an invasive prey species. | predation is one of the main barriers that exotic species may face in newly colonized areas and may help stop or control the potential negative impacts of invasive species in the environment. we evaluated if the consumption of an invasive prey (armored catfish: pterygoplichtys sp.) affects the dietary niche breadth and trophic level of a native predator (neotropical river otter: lontra longicaudis) in northern guatemala. we examined otter scats from three rivers: two where the invasive armored c ... | 2019 | 31581191 |
| evidence of leptospira species and their significance during reintroduction of eurasian beavers (castorfiber) to great britain. | the scottish beaver trial (sbt) reintroduced the eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in 2009 using wild-caught norwegian beavers. this included a six-month prerelease quarantine in devon, england. the international union for conservation of nature (iucn) and government guidelines for health screening were followed, including testing for leptospira species. unlicensed beavers, from germany, were also identified in scotland (tayside) and devon (later forming the river otter beaver trial (robt)) and wer ... | 2019 | 31467063 |
| ecotoxicoparasitology of mercury and trace elements in semi-aquatic mammals and their endoparasite communities. | many contaminants persist in the environment for decades or more, influencing ecosystem health. environmental contamination with mercury (hg) is a particular concern due to its ability to biomagnify in food webs and its lethal and sub-lethal effects in exposed organisms. despite the known impacts of anthropogenic contamination, there remains a need for data on wildlife exposure to hg and other contaminants, and the effects of exposure on wildlife health. the objectives of this study were to: 1) ... | 2019 | 31085411 |
| sepsis caused by streptococcus suis serotype 2 in a eurasian river otter ( lutra lutra) in the republic of korea. | an adult male eurasian river otter ( lutra lutra) was diagnosed with systemic infection. microbiologic findings identified streptococcus suis serotype 2, clonal complex 28, and sequence type 629. genetic analysis strongly suggested the transmission of s. suis isolate from pigs to wild animals through environmental contamination. | 2018 | 29791292 |
| characterization of the behavior and reproductive endocrinology of giant river otters (pteronura brasiliensis) in managed care. | propagation of giant river otters (gro) in zoos is inconsistent: some pairs never reproduce while others are prolific in producing young but can be hindered by low cub survival. developing effective breeding programs requires understanding normal reproductive parameters and behavior. fecal samples were collected for 6-16 months from five breeding pairs, two individual females, and one female pair at seven zoos, and analyzed for fecal progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and glucocorticoid (fgm) ... | 2018 | 30159919 |
| toxoplasma gondii infection in wild mustelids and cats across an urban-rural gradient. | the increase in human population and domestic pets, such as cats, are generating important consequences in terms of habitat loss and pathogen pollution of coastal ecosystems with potential to generate negative impacts in marine biodiversity. toxoplasma gondii is the etiological agent of zoonotic disease toxoplasmosis, and is associated with cat abundance and anthropogenic disturbance. the presence of t. gondii oocysts in the ocean has negatively affected the health status of the threatened south ... | 2018 | 29924844 |
| the development and use of a spatially explicit model for river otters to evaluate environmental hazards: a case study on the department of energy's savannah river site. | the department of energy's (doe) savannah river site (srs) faces a legacy of radionuclide and metal contamination from industrial processes that occurred throughout the site. northern river otters (lontra canadensis) are appropriate receptors for studying the effects of long-term, low-level contamination because they are long-lived, higher trophic level organisms susceptible to accumulating high levels of pollutants. the purpose of this study was to use latrine surveys to examine patterns of wet ... | 2018 | 29860567 |
| river otters (lontra canadensis) "trapped" in a coastal environment contaminated with persistent organic pollutants: demographic and physiological consequences. | productive coastal and estuarine habitats can be degraded by contaminants including persistent organic pollutants (pops) such as pcbs, dioxins, and organochlorine insecticides to the extent of official designation as contaminated sites. top-predatory wildlife may continue to use such sites as the habitat often appears suitable, and thus bioaccumulate pops and other contaminants with potential consequences on their health and fitness. victoria and esquimalt harbours are located on southern vancou ... | 2018 | 29573713 |
| prevalence, structure, and distribution of novel parasite cysts containing dracunculus species in river otters ( lontra canadensis) from arkansas. | adult female guinea worms ( dracunculus spp.) usually are reported to occur singly in the extremities of their hosts, from which they deliver their larvae into the water through fistulae in the host's skin. we visually examined for the presence of worms in the fascia of the limbs of skinned carcasses of 184 river otters ( lontra canadensis) harvested in arkansas and report observations of cysts on wrists and ankles found on 12 otters. cysts averaged 15.6 × 24.6 mm in diameter, were round to oval ... | 2018 | 29457936 |
| prevalence and genetic characterization of dirofilaria lutrae orihle, 1965 in north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | dirofilaria lutrae orihle, 1965 is a subcutaneous filarial worm found in north american river otters (lontra canadensis). previous studies reported the geographical range of this worm to include louisiana, florida, and north carolina, usa. although d. lutrae does not cause disease in otters, it must be distinguished from dirofilaria immitis (leidy, 1856), which causes heartworm disease in otters. the goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of d. lutrae in several states and to investi ... | 2018 | 31014728 |
| cryptosporidium spp. and giardia sp. in aquatic mammals in northern and northeastern brazil. | cryptosporidium and giardia are protozoans that can infect humans and wild and domestic animals. due to the growing importance of diseases caused by protozoan parasites in aquatic species, we aimed to evaluate the frequency of infection by cryptosporidium spp. and giardia sp. in aquatic and marine mammals in the northern and northeastern regions of brazil. we collected 553 fecal samples from 15 species of wild-ranging and captive aquatic mammals in northern and northeastern brazil. all samples w ... | 2017 | 28930082 |
| interaction of extender composition and freezing method for effective semen cryopreservation in the north american river otter (lontra canadensis). | semen cryopreservation and storage in genome resource banks (grbs), in combination with artificial insemination (ai), could be invaluable for genetic management and conservation of endangered otter species. for any applied conservation benefit, effective methods for otter sperm processing and cryopreservation first must be established. in this study, our objective was to develop an effective semen cryopreservation method for the north american river otter, evaluating the effect of extender compo ... | 2017 | 28708513 |
| predictive meta-regressions relating mercury tissue concentrations of freshwater piscivorous mammals. | mercury (hg) is a pollutant of global concern. sentinel species such as river otter (lontra canadensis) and mink (neovison vison) are often used to monitor environmental concentrations in freshwater ecosystems. tissue total hg (thg) concentrations are frequently used as biomarkers of exposure. however, there is no comprehensive model relating hg tissue concentrations in different tissues, making interstudy comparisons challenging. our objective was to establish conversion factors relating fur, b ... | 2017 | 28224658 |
| stress levels in captured river otters (lontra canadensis) decreased after transportation to reintroduction sites. | the level of stress that animals endure during capture, handling, transportation, and release processes is a major concern of animal reintroduction projects. animals under chronic stress are more susceptible to disease and other deleterious issues that could reduce their survival in a new environment. northern river otters ( lontra canadensis ) have been reintroduced in 22 states in the united states and may be susceptible to developing chronic stress during the reintroduction process. we assess ... | 2016 | 28080903 |
| river otter bite in a 52-year-old woman: managing animal bites. | 2016 | 27647615 | |
| in vivo and in vitro neurochemical-based assessments of wastewater effluents from the maumee river area of concern. | wastewater treatment plant (wwtp) effluents contain potentially neuroactive chemicals though few methods are available to screen for the presence of such agents. here, two parallel approaches (in vivo and in vitro) were used to assess wwtp exposure-related changes to neurochemistry. first, fathead minnows (fhm, pimephales promelas) were caged for four days along a wwtp discharge zone into the maumee river (ohio, usa). grab water samples were collected and extracts obtained for the detection of a ... | 2016 | 26736051 |
| geographic distribution of the tooth morphotypes of the river otter (carnivora, mustelidae, lutra lutra l., 1758) in northern eurasia. | 2016 | 22562675 | |
| hepatic polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) levels in wisconsin river otters (lontra canadensis) and michigan bald eagles (haliaeetus leucocephalus). | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) are persistent and toxic flame-retardant chemicals widespread in the great lakes ecosystem. these chemicals are now being regulated and phased-out of the region; therefore it remains important to understand the extent of contamination in order to track the efficacy of recent actions. here, σ4pbde congeners (pbde-47, 99, 100, 153;wetweight basis unless indicated)were determined in liver tissues from wisconsin river otters (lontra canadensis; n = 35; 2009-201 ... | 2015 | 25745277 |
| density of river otters (lontra canadensis) in relation to energy development in the green river basin, wyoming. | exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas have increased in recent years and are expected to expand in the future. reduction in water quality from energy extraction may negatively affect water supply for agriculture and urban use within catchments as well as down river. we used non-invasive genetic techniques and capture-recapture modeling to estimate the abundance and density of north american river otters (lontra canadensis), a sentinel species of aquatic ecosystems, in southwestern wy ... | 2015 | 26125409 |
| modeling behavior by coastal river otter (lontra canadensis) in response to prey availability in prince william sound, alaska: a spatially-explicit individual-based approach. | effects of climate change on animal behavior and cascading ecosystem responses are rarely evaluated. in coastal alaska, social river otters (lontra canadensis), largely males, cooperatively forage on schooling fish and use latrine sites to communicate group associations and dominance. conversely, solitary otters, mainly females, feed on intertidal-demersal fish and display mutual avoidance via scent marking. this behavioral variability creates "hotspots" of nutrient deposition and affects plant ... | 2015 | 26061497 |
| accumulation of pbdes in an urban river otter population and an unusual finding of bde-209. | river otter scat samples (n = 77) and blood samples (n = 16) collected through non-invasive field collections and live-capture activities (november 2009 to october 2010) along the coastline of southern vancouver island, near victoria, british columbia (bc) were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes). ∑pbdes were highest in urbanized regions of victoria harbour for blood (1.12 μg/g lipid weight) and scat (0.35 μg/g lipid weight). a location effect between zones was confirmed statisti ... | 2015 | 25463257 |
| hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase and inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase activities in three mammalian species: aquatic (mirounga angustirostris), semi-aquatic (lontra longicaudis annectens) and terrestrial (sus scrofa). | aquatic and semiaquatic mammals have the capacity of breath hold (apnea) diving. northern elephant seals (mirounga angustirostris) have the ability to perform deep and long duration dives; during a routine dive, adults can hold their breath for 25 min. neotropical river otters (lontra longicaudis annectens) can hold their breath for about 30 s. such periods of apnea may result in reduced oxygen concentration (hypoxia) and reduced blood supply (ischemia) to tissues. production of adenosine 5'-tri ... | 2015 | 26283971 |
| the influence of changing prey availability on the prevalence of diphyllobothrium in river otters from yellowstone national park. | parasite prevalence in predatory mammals is influenced by numerous factors including diet, sex, season, and habitat. we examined the effect of such factors on the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in north american river otters ( lontra canadensis ) in yellowstone lake, yellowstone national park. otters in this ecosystem have recently experienced a decline in their main prey, yellowstone cutthroat trout ( oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri), and have, in turn, increased consumption of alternat ... | 2015 | 25192057 |
| comparative functional anatomy of hindlimb muscles and bones with reference to aquatic adaptation of the sea otter. | although the sea otter (enhydra lutris) is a complete aquatic species, spending its entire life in the ocean, it has been considered morphologically to be a semi-aquatic animal. this study aimed to clarify the unique hindlimb morphology and functional adaptations of e. lutris in comparison to other mustelidae species. we compared muscle mass and bone measurements of five mustelidae species: the sea otter, eurasian river otter (lutra lutra), american mink (neovison vison), japanese weasel (mustel ... | 2015 | 25715875 |
| divergent skull morphology supports two trophic specializations in otters (lutrinae). | variation in terrestrial mammalian skull morphology is known to constrain feeding performance, which in turn influences dietary habits and ultimately fitness. among mustelids, otters have evolved two feeding specializations: underwater raptorial capture of prey (mouth-oriented) and capture of prey by hand (hand-oriented), both of which have likely associations with morphology and bite performance. however, feeding biomechanics and performance data for otters are sparse. the first goal of this st ... | 2015 | 26649575 |
| efficacy of two canine distemper vaccines in wild nearctic river otters (lontra canadensis). | canine distemper virus (cdv), a contagious morbillivirus, infects families in the order carnivora, including nearctic river otters (lontra canadensis). as a preventative measure, vaccinations against cdv are frequently given to mustelids in captive environments. the pennsylvania river otter reintroduction project (prorp) used wild-caught river otters to evaluate the efficacy and need for vaccinations against cdv as part of any reintroduction project. the objectives of this study were to: 1) eval ... | 2014 | 25314818 |
| invasive american mink: linking pathogen risk between domestic and endangered carnivores. | infectious diseases, in particular canine distemper virus (cdv), are an important threat to the viability of wild carnivore populations. cdv is thought to be transmitted by direct contact between individuals; therefore, the study of species interactions plays a pivotal role in understanding cdv transmission dynamics. however, cdv often appears to move between populations that are ecologically isolated, possibly through bridge hosts that interact with both species. this study investigated how an ... | 2014 | 24604545 |
| testing for aleutian mink disease virus in the river otter (lontra canadensis) in sympatry with infected american mink (neovison vison). | aleutian mink disease virus (amdv) occurs in the american mink (neovison vison) in wild populations and on mink farms and can cause illness and death. the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) may be exposed to amdv because of shared space and habitat with mink. using serology and real-time pcr, we tested river otters across ontario for amdv infection. we found no evidence of infection in otters, a surprising finding given the sympatric distribution, niche overlap, and close phylogeneti ... | 2014 | 24807350 |
| uncovering deep mysteries: the underwater life of an amphibious louse. | despite the incredible success of insects in colonizing almost every habitat, they remain virtually absent in one major environment--the open sea. a variety of hypotheses have been raised to explain why just a few insect species are present in the ocean, but none of them appears to be fully explanatory. lice belonging to the family echinophthiriidae are ectoparasites on different species of pinnipeds and river otters, i.e. they have amphibious hosts, who regularly perform long excursions into th ... | 2014 | 25449903 |
| large-scale predation by river otters (lontra canadensis) on florida cooter (pseudemys floridana) and florida softshell turtles (apalone ferox). | abstract we observed predation by river otters (lontra canadensis) on large numbers of florida cooter (pseudemys floridana) and florida softshell turtles (apalone ferox) in two small lakes in north central florida, usa during a period of unusually low water levels. carcasses were strewn on the shoreline and accumulated around floating boat docks, where some residents observed turtles being killed. we found 76 carcasses, including predominantly skeletons, and two live, severely injured turtles fr ... | 2014 | 25098299 |
| nephrolithiasis in free-ranging north american river otter (lontra canadensis) in north carolina, usa. | the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) serves as an indicator species for environmental monitoring, is prized as a valuable furbearer, and is a popular display animal in zoologic collections. nephrolithiasis has been reported as a frequent problem in other free-ranging and captive otter species but is rarely reported in north american river otters. in this study, we compared the prevalence of nephrolithiasis diagnosed using routine gross pathologic examination techniques with the use ... | 2014 | 24712169 |
| purine nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine oxidase activities in erythrocytes and plasma from marine, semiaquatic and terrestrial mammals. | purine nucleoside phosphorylase (pnp) and xanthine oxidase (xo) are key enzymes involved in the purine salvage pathway. pnp metabolizes purine bases to synthetize purine nucleotides whereas xo catalyzes the oxidation of purines to uric acid. in humans, pnp activity is reported to be high in erythrocytes and xo activity to be low in plasma; however, xo activity increases after ischemic events. xo activity in plasma of northern elephant seals has been reported during prolonged fasting and rest and ... | 2014 | 24530799 |
| fatty acid analysis as a tool to infer the diet in illinois river otters (lontra canadensis). | fatty acids (fa) have recently been used in several studies to infer the diet in a number of species. while these studies have been largely successful, most have dealt with predators that have a fairly specialized diet. in this paper, we used fa analysis as a tool to infer the diet of the nearctic river otter (lontra canadensis). the river otter is an opportunistic predator known to subsist on a wide variety of prey including, fishes, crayfish, molluscs, reptiles and amphibians, among others. we ... | 2014 | 26290705 |
| river otters as biomonitors for organochlorine pesticides, pcbs, and pbdes in illinois. | the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) is a biomonitor for organohalogenated compounds (ohcs) associated with a wide range of deleterious health effects in wildlife and humans. we determined concentrations of twenty ohcs in livers of 23 river otters salvaged by the illinois department of natural resources from 2009 to 2011, determined sex-dependent distribution of ohcs, and compared our results to the reported concentrations of four ohcs in illinois river otters from 1984 to 1989. si ... | 2014 | 24119654 |
| diagnostic imaging in veterinary dental practice. dental pulp disease in a river otter. | 2013 | 23971840 | |
| mercury exposure and neurochemical biomarkers in multiple brain regions of wisconsin river otters (lontra canadensis). | river otters are fish-eating wildlife that bioaccumulate high levels of mercury (hg). mercury is a proven neurotoxicant to mammalian wildlife, but little is known about the underlying, sub-clinical effects. here, the overall goal was to increase understanding of hg's neurological risk to otters. first, hg values across several brain regions and tissues were characterized. second, in three brain regions with known sensitivity to hg (brainstem, cerebellum, and occipital cortex), potential associat ... | 2013 | 23340980 |
| review of the systematics, biology and ecology of lice from pinnipeds and river otters (insecta: phthiraptera: anoplura: echinophthiriidae). | we present a literature review of the sucking louse family echinophthiriidae, its five genera and twelve species parasitic on pinnipeds (fur seals, sea lions, walruses, true seals) and the north american river otter. we give detailed synonymies and published records for all taxonomic hierarchies, as well as hosts, type localities and repositories of type material; we highlight significant references and include comments on the current taxonomic status of the species. we provide a summary of pres ... | 2013 | 26131525 |
| emerging infectious diseases of wildlife and species conservation. | there has been an increase in the emergence and reemergence of human infectious diseases on a global scale, and zoonotic diseases in which wildlife serves as the reservoir are a large contributing factor. faced with this situation, there is a necessity to create integrated prevention strategies and predictive models to determine the sites most vulnerable to the emergence of new zoonoses. cases have been documented in which pathogens responsible for infectious diseases in wild species have been r ... | 2013 | 26184963 |
| impact of population expansion on genetic diversity and structure of river otters (lontra canadensis) in central north america. | populations of north american river otters (lontra canadensis) declined throughout large portions of the continent during the early 1900s due to habitat degradation and unregulated trapping. river otters had been extirpated in north dakota (nd), but the red river valley has since been recolonized, with potential source populations including the neighboring states of minnesota or south dakota, or the canadian province of manitoba (mb). we genotyped 9 microsatellite loci in 121 samples to determin ... | 2013 | 24154534 |
| aleutian mink disease virus in furbearing mammals in nova scotia, canada. | aleutian mink disease virus (amdv) is widespread among ranched and free-ranging american mink in canada, but there is no information on its prevalence in other wild animal species. this paper describes the prevalence of amdv of 12 furbearing species in nova scotia (ns), canada. | 2013 | 23394546 |
| trophic interactions of the endangered southern river otter (lontra provocax) in a chilean ramsar wetland inferred from prey sampling, fecal analysis, and stable isotopes. | non-invasive methodological approaches are highly recommended and commonly used to study the feeding ecology of elusive and threatened mammals. in this study, we use multiple lines of evidence to assess the feeding strategies of the endangered southern river otter, by determining seasonal prey availability (electrofishing), analysis of undigested prey remains (spraints), and the use of stable isotopes (δ(15)n and δ(13)c) in otter spraints (n = 262) and prey in a wetland ecosystem of southern chi ... | 2013 | 23467968 |
| serologic survey of brucellosis in captive neotropical wild carnivores in northeast brazil. | abstract. this study reports the detection of antibodies against brucella abortus and b. canis in wild neotropical carnivores kept in captivity in three zoos in northeastern brazil. a total of 42 serum samples were examined, 17 from coatis (nasua nasua), eight from crab-eating raccoons (procyon cancrivorus), three from crab-eating foxes (cerdocyon thous), three from hoary foxes (lycalopex vetulus), two from little spotted cats (leopardus tigrinus), five from tayras (eira barbara), two from great ... | 2012 | 22779245 |
| a new microphallid (digenea) species from lontra provocax (mammalia: mustelidae) from freshwater environments of northwestern patagonia (argentina). | a new microphallid species of maritrema is described from the native southern river otter, lontra provocax (thomas). a naturally infected otter was found dead in the nahuel huapi national park, argentina. ovigerous adult worms were recovered from the anterior portion of the intestine. specimens of maritrema huillini n. sp. have an unarmed genital pore and glabrous cirrus. they can be distinguished from all other species in the genus by having a long intestinal ceca extending up to three-quarters ... | 2012 | 22540416 |
| disseminated pheochromocytoma in a north american river otter (lontra canadensis). | a 21-yr-old male north american river otter (lontra canadensis) with a chronic history of degenerative osteoarthritis was evaluated for acute posterior paralysis. because no definitive cause was identified and a poor prognosis was expected, the otter was euthanatized. a malignant neoplasm of adrenal gland origin with disseminated metastases to the central nervous system, lymph nodes, diaphragm, pancreas, spleen, and liver was diagnosed on postmortem examination. no clinical signs of disseminated ... | 2012 | 22779251 |
| a survey of abnormal repetitive behaviors in north american river otters housed in zoos. | stereotypic behaviors, indicating poor welfare and studied in a variety of species (especially carnivores), appear related to characteristics of current and past environments. although north american river otters (lontra canadensis) often develop abnormal, repetitive, possibly stereotypic behaviors, no published reports describe otter housing and management or characterize how these variables relate to abnormal repetitive behavior (arb) occurrence. the first author developed surveys to gather da ... | 2012 | 22742198 |
| physiologic and electrocardiographic responses of american river otters (lutra canadensis) during chemical immobilization and inhalation anesthesia. | rectal temperatures and heart rates of american river otters (lutra canadensis) decreased significantly (p less than 0.05) during chemical immobilization with i.m. ketamine hydrochloride in combination with xylazine hydrochloride and acepromazine and during inhalation anesthesia with isoflurane. anesthetized otters showed a tendency for apnea during induction and while dorsally recumbent, which was reflected by a respiratory acidosis on arterial blood gases. declines in rectal temperatures and h ... | 2012 | 3503143 |
| high-altitude diving in river otters: coping with combined hypoxic stresses. | river otters (lontra canadensis) are highly active, semi-aquatic mammals indigenous to a range of elevations and represent an appropriate model for assessing the physiological responses to diving at altitude. in this study, we performed blood gas analyses and compared blood chemistry of river otters from a high-elevation (2357 m) population at yellowstone lake with a sea-level population along the pacific coast. comparisons of oxygen dissociation curves (odc) revealed no significant difference i ... | 2012 | 22189769 |
| hepatic mercury, cadmium, and lead in mink and otter from new york state: monitoring environmental contamination. | many non-linear processes link atmospheric emissions to the bioavailability of metals; consequently, the monitoring of metals in ecosystem components is required to model their ecodynamics. american mink (neovison vison) and river otter (lontra canadensis) have the potential to serve as an upper-level-consumer component in monitoring metals bioavailability. however, the relationship of bioaccumulated metals to various environmental factors has not been explored nor have the effects of demographi ... | 2012 | 21743989 |
| phylogeography of the patagonian otter lontra provocax: adaptive divergence to marine habitat or signature of southern glacial refugia? | a number of studies have described the extension of ice cover in western patagonia during the last glacial maximum, providing evidence of a complete cover of terrestrial habitat from 41°s to 56°s and two main refugia, one in south-eastern tierra del fuego and the other north of the chiloé island. however, recent evidence of high genetic diversity in patagonian river species suggests the existence of aquatic refugia in this region. here, we further test this hypothesis based on phylogeographic in ... | 2011 | 21356052 |
| correlates of mercury in female river otters (lontra canadensis) from nova scotia, canada. | mercury (hg) can reach toxic concentrations in aquatic habitats, sometimes as a consequence of human activity. mercury can have deleterious effects, particularly in piscivorous mammals in which it bio-accumulates. furs from trapper-provided female otter (lontra canadensis) carcasses in nova scotia were analyzed for total hg. concentrations of total hg in fur samples averaged 25 μg/g dry weight, ranging from 1.4 to 137 μg/g; 20 μg/g is the fur concentration at which toxic effects are expected. me ... | 2011 | 21590711 |
| mercury in swamp sparrows (melospiza georgiana) from wetland habitats in wisconsin. | wetlands play a major role in the export of methylmercury (mehg) to a watershed. the large contribution of wetlands to watersheds in northern wisconsin, coupled with the acidic environment of this area, makes these habitats especially vulnerable to mercury (hg) accumulation by biota. the purpose of this study was to compare hg accumulation between northern wisconsin wetlands and southern wisconsin wetlands using the swamp sparrow (melospiza georgiana) as a representative species. the swamp sparr ... | 2011 | 21755351 |
| pleural actinomycosis in a free-ranging river otter (lontra canadensis). | actinomycosis, presenting as chronic proliferative pyogranulomatous pleuritis associated with sulfur granules, was diagnosed in a mature male river otter (lontra canadensis) captured near victoria, british columbia, canada, in april 2010. the river otter died during sedation for clinical examination and was necropsied immediately. bacteria of the genus actinomyces are commensals of the mucous membranes in a wide range of animals and people that act as opportunistic pathogens. this is the first r ... | 2011 | 22204077 |
| behavior toward the dying, diseased, or disabled among animals and its relevance to paleopathology. | compassionate behavior towards dying, diseased, or disabled individuals is often regarded as a uniquely human trait, though recent reports of reactions to death and dying in nonhuman animals highlight the value of adopting a comparative evolutionary approach toward these behaviors. here, we review recent studies of animal behavior toward the dying, diseased, or disabled which may be of interest to paleopathologists and bioarchaeologists studying compassionate behavior in humans and their extinct ... | 2011 | 29539326 |
| prevalence of selected vector-borne organisms and identification of bartonella species dna in north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | trapper-killed north american river otters (lontra canadensis) in north carolina, usa, were screened for multiple vector-borne bacteria known to be pathogenic to mammals. blood was collected from 30 carcasses in 2006, from 35 in 2007, and from one live otter in 2008. samples were screened using conventional polymerase chain reaction (pcr) tests for dna from bartonella spp., ehrlichia spp., and spotted fever group rickettsia spp. all samples were negative for rickettsia spp. twelve of 30 samples ... | 2010 | 20688703 |
| differential tree and shrub production in response to fertilization and disturbance by coastal river otters in alaska. | we explored the interacting effects of marine-derived nutrient fertilization and physical disturbance introduced by coastal river otters (lontra canadensis) on the production and nutrient status of pristine shrub and tree communities in prince william sound, alaska, usa. we compared production of trees and shrubs between latrines and non-latrines, while accounting for otter site selection, by sampling areas on and off sites. nitrogen stable isotope analysis (delta15n) indicated that dominant tre ... | 2010 | 21141179 |
| mercury and halogenated organic contaminants in river otters (lontra canadensis) in new jersey, usa. | liver samples collected from new jersey river otters (lontra canadensis) in 2005 and 2007 were tested for hg, organochlorine (oc) pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (pcdds), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (pcdfs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes). the highest mercury concentrations were found in otters living in the pinelands region, where acidic soils and surface waters enhance hg bioavailability. the highest individual hg concentration was ... | 2010 | 20872687 |
| fecal genotyping and contaminant analyses reveal variation in individual river otter exposure to localized persistent contaminants. | the present study investigated polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbon (phah) concentrations in feces of known river otters (lontra canadensis) along the coast of southern vancouver island, british columbia, canada. specifically, we combined microsatellite genotyping of dna from feces for individual identification with fecal contaminant analyses to evaluate exposure of 23 wild otters to organochlorine pesticides (ocps), polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), and polybrominated diphenylethers (pbdes). ov ... | 2010 | 20821445 |
| mercury poisoning in a free-living northern river otter (lontra canadensis). | a moribund 5-year-old female northern river otter (lontra canadensis) was found on the bank of a river known to be extensively contaminated with mercury. it exhibited severe ataxia and scleral injection, made no attempt to flee, and died shortly thereafter of drowning. tissue mercury levels were among the highest ever reported for a free-living terrestrial mammal: kidney, 353 microg/g; liver, 221 microg/g; muscle, 121 microg/g; brain (three replicates from cerebellum), 142, 151, 151 microg/g (al ... | 2010 | 20688719 |
| characterization of trpc2, an essential genetic component of vns chemoreception, provides insights into the evolution of pheromonal olfaction in secondary-adapted marine mammals. | pheromones are chemical cues released and sensed by individuals of the same species, which are of major importance in regulating reproductive and social behaviors of mammals. generally, they are detected by the vomeronasal system (vns). here, we first investigated and compared an essential genetic component of vomeronasal chemoreception, that is, trpc2 gene, of four marine mammals varying the degree of aquatic specialization and related terrestrial species in order to provide insights into the e ... | 2010 | 20142439 |
| accumulation of mercury and selenium in the brain of river otters (lontra canadensis) and wild mink (mustela vison) from nova scotia, canada. | total hg, methyl-hg (mehg) and se levels were measured in the brain of river otters (lontra canadensis) and wild mink (mustela vison) carcasses collected from nova scotia, canada. total hg concentrations in the otters' brain were highly variable, ranging from 0.3 to 18.0 microg/g dw and were significantly higher in animals caught from inland areas of the province versus coastal animals. similarly, inland otters contained significantly more mehg in the brain than did coastal otters. mehg was high ... | 2010 | 19880158 |
| characterization of basal seminal traits and reproductive endocrine profiles in north american river otters and asian small-clawed otters. | in this study, fecal samples were collected from 24 north american river (naro) and 17 asian small-clawed otters (asco) for 6-36 months and semen collected seasonally from naro males (n=4/season) via electroejaculation. our main objectives were to: (1) characterize endocrine parameters by longitudinal monitoring of fecal hormone metabolites and (2) investigate semen collection and basal seminal traits in naro. naro demonstrated a distinct seasonality in the spring, with females having a monoestr ... | 2009 | 19367624 |
| scale-dependent analysis of an otter-crustacean system in argentinean patagonia. | the southern river otter or 'huillin', lontra provocax, is an endangered species endemic of the andean patagonian region of argentina and chile. it feeds almost exclusively on the genera of macro-crustacea: aegla and sammastacus. the aim of this study was to analyse the role of food availability on the huillin's distribution using a scale-dependent analysis of crustacean and otter distributions. we compared the distributions of otters and macro-crustaceans along a north-south regional gradient, ... | 2009 | 19225749 |
| cross-species characterisation of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the giant otter (pteronura brasiliensis). | nineteen microsatellite loci developed for the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) and 15 loci developed for the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) were tested for ease of amplification and degree of polymorphism on a set of 20 giant otter (pteronura brasiliensis) faecal samples from the bolivian amazon basin. nineteen loci amplified consistently well, with polymorphisms ranging from two to nine alleles and observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.15 to 0.85. | 2009 | 21564666 |
| species identification of north american guinea worms (nematoda: dracunculus) with dna barcoding. | dracunculus insignis is a nematode parasite that infects the subcutaneous tissues of mammals such as raccoon (procyon lotor), mink (neovison vison) and fisher (martes pennanti). d. lutrae, a morphologically similar species, has only been recovered from the otter (lontra canadensis). species identification of these two north american guinea worms has only been achieved by morphology of males and host identity. as a result, where only female specimens are present, accurate identifications are not ... | 2009 | 21564728 |
| a molecular survey of piroplasmida and hepatozoon isolated from domestic and wild animals in burgos (northern spain). | this study reports a molecular survey of hepatozoon species and of the order piroplasmida in the province of burgos, northern spain. the diagnostic techniques employed included pcr and the sequencing of the 18s rrna gene. eighty-nine blood samples from domestic animals plus 138 blood/coagulated blood samples from wild mammals were examined. theilerid protozoa were found at relatively high frequencies in bovines (14.6%) and horses (36%). theileria buffeli, t. sergenti and t. annulata were diagnos ... | 2009 | 19297099 |
| re-evaluation of the species composition of bashkirovitrema skrjabin, 1944 (digenea: echinostomatidae), with the description of two new species of this genus and the proposal of kostadinovatrema novaeguiniense n. g., n. sp. | a comparison of specimens previously identified as bashkirovitrema incrassatum (diesing, 1850) from the african or cape clawless otter aonyx capensis, and the speckle-throated or spotted-throated otter hydrictis maculicollis from the old world with specimens and descriptions of b. incrassatum from the new world showed that those from africa (bashkirovitrema africanum n. sp.) had a more extensive distribution of the vitelline fields than either b. canadense n. sp. from the northern river otter lo ... | 2009 | 19789998 |
| mercury concentrations in wild mink (mustela vison) and river otters (lontra canadensis) collected from eastern and atlantic canada: relationship to age and parasitism. | total mercury (hg) concentrations were measured in the fur, brain and liver of wild mink (mustela vison) and river otters (lontra canadensis) collected from eastern and atlantic canada. total hg concentrations in fur were strongly correlated with levels in the brain and liver. there was no difference in tissue concentrations between male and female mink; however, female otters had significantly higher fur, brain and liver hg levels than males. similarly, there was not a significant relationship ... | 2008 | 18367299 |
| diversity of mtdna in southern river otter (lontra provocax) from argentinean patagonia. | lontra provocax is an endemic species from patagonia that has been categorized as "endangered" by the international union for conservation of nature. in this study, noninvasive molecular methods were used to investigate the genetic diversity and haplotype distribution of l. provocax in argentinean patagonia. we analyzed 150 scat samples collected from 1995 to 2006 and obtained 13 sequences of control region with 1 haplotype and 34 sequences of cytochrome b with 4 haplotypes. the population of th ... | 2008 | 18310615 |
| chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in feces of river otters from the southern pacific coast of canada, 1998-2004. | chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in coastal river otters (lontra canadensis) were evaluated by sampling feces (scats) collected on the south coast of british columbia, canada. a broad survey of industrialized areas of the strait of georgia region was conducted in 1998, and a subsequent survey of working harbours in 2004. samples from 1998 were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), organochlorine (oc) pesticides, and polychlorinated dioxins (pcdds) and furans (pcdfs), while in 2004, ... | 2008 | 18433835 |
| trapping and handling of north american river otters (lontra canadensis) in a managed marsh. | north american river otters (lontra canadensis) were trapped in a managed marsh in northern california between july and november of 1998. five trap types using several set configurations were utilized in this study. otters were successfully captured with minimal injury and a relatively high trap rate (1 capture per 48 trap nights), with the use of no. 1.5 and no. 1.75 double-coil spring traps, and no. 11 double long spring traps on short chains in blind land sets, or in bank sets on one-way cabl ... | 2008 | 18432092 |
| deciphering ecological barriers to north american river otter (lontra canadensis) gene flow in the louisiana landscape. | for north american river otters (lontra canadensis) in louisiana, statewide distribution, availability of aquatic habitats, and the absence of physical barriers to dispersal might suggest that they exist as a large, panmictic population. however, the wide variety of habitat types in this region, and the dynamic nature of these habitats over time, could potentially structure river otter populations in accordance with cryptic landscape features. recently developed landscape genetic models offer a ... | 2008 | 18316322 |
| technical advances: effects of genotyping protocols on success and errors in identifying individual river otters (lontra canadensis) from their faeces. | in noninvasive genetic sampling, when genotyping error rates are high and recapture rates are low, misidentification of individuals can lead to overestimation of population size. thus, estimating genotyping errors is imperative. nonetheless, conducting multiple polymerase chain reactions (pcrs) at multiple loci is time-consuming and costly. to address the controversy regarding the minimum number of pcrs required for obtaining a consensus genotype, we compared consumer-style the performance of tw ... | 2008 | 21585770 |
| environmental contaminants in male river otters from oregon and washington, usa, 1994-1999. | this study reports hepatic concentrations and distribution patterns of select metals, organochlorine pesticides (ocs), polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (pcdds) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (pcdfs) in 180 male river otters (lontra canadensis) collected from oregon and washington, 1994-1999. seven regional locations of western oregon and washington were delineated based on associations with major population centers, industry or agriculture. cadmium (cd) was ... | 2008 | 18058253 |
| total mercury and methylmercury residues in river otters (lutra canadensis) from wisconsin. | the wisconsin department of natural resources (wdnr) collected trapper-caught river otter (lutra canadensis) from 3 distinct areas of wisconsin (north, central, and south). otter carcasses were collected from a total of 12 counties during the trapping seasons of 2003 and 2004. liver, kidney, muscle, brain, and fur tissue was collected for mercury (hg) analysis. analysis of variance identified collection zone as the significant factor for differences in tissue hg levels, with a pattern of decreas ... | 2008 | 17926081 |
| cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase activity in relation to mercury levels in the cerebral cortex of wild river otters. | mercury (hg) is a global pollutant that is neurotoxic to many mammalian species. the present study was conducted to determine if the bioaccumulation of hg by wild river otters (lontra canadensis) could be related to variations in the activities of key neurochemical enzymes. river otters were collected from ontario and nova scotia (canada) during the trapping seasons, spanning 2002-2004, and their brains were dissected into the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. the activities of cholinesterase (che ... | 2007 | 17439924 |
| polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the cerebral cortex of wild river otters (lontra canadensis). | we measured the levels of ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb), organochlorinated pesticides (ocp), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbde) in the cerebral cortex of river otters (lontra canadensis) trapped from ontario and nova scotia between 2002 and 2004. the mean concentration of total pcbs was 70.9+/-12.1 ng/g l.w., and congeners 153, 180 and 138 accounted for nearly 60% of the sum. the mean concentration of total ocps was 21.2+/-3.7 ng/g l.w., and hexachlorobenzene (32.6% of ... | 2007 | 17321655 |
| progressive ataxia in a captive north american river otter (lontra canadensis) associated with brain stem spheroid formation. | progressive ataxia, particularly of the hind limbs, developed in a paretic female juvenile captive north american river otter (lontra canadensis). severe bilaterally symmetrical axonal degeneration in the medulla oblongata (nucleus gracilis and nucleus cuneatus) and multiple scattered spheroids in the region of the pons were detected microscopically. this is the first description of ataxia associated with axonal degeneration in otters. | 2007 | 18229864 |
| variation in digestive efficiency of captive north american river otters (lontra canadensis) on various diets. | energy content, proximate nutrient values, passage rate, and digestive efficiency associated with various diet types and factors affecting these parameters have not been quantified for the north american river otter (lontra canadensis). we measured energy digestive efficiency (deff) and intestinal passage rate of three captive river otters on their regular diet (a combination of polar bear diet, cat food, and feline diet) and on test diets consisting of the constituent components of their regula ... | 2007 | 19360560 |
| the identification of a genetically unique piroplasma in north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | during a routine health check of a wild-caught north american river otter (lontra canadensis) small piroplasms were noted within erythrocytes. analyses of the 18s ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rrna) gene sequences determined that this was a genetically unique organism most closely related to babesia microti-like parasites found in other small carnivores. subsequently 39 wild-trapped north american river otters from north carolina were tested for the presence of piroplasma deoxyribonucleic acid (dn ... | 2007 | 17214914 |
| does human proximity affect antibody prevalence in marine-foraging river otters (lontra canadensis)? | the investigation of diseases of free-ranging river otters (lontra canadensis) is a primary conservation priority for this species; however, very little is known about diseases of river otters that forage in marine environments. to identify and better understand pathogens that could be important to marine-foraging river otters, other wildlife species, domestic animals, and humans and to determine if proximity to human population could be a factor in disease exposure, serum samples from 55 free-r ... | 2007 | 17347401 |
| cryptosporidium and giardia in marine-foraging river otters (lontra canadensis) from the puget sound georgia basin ecosystem. | species of cryptosporidium and giardia can infect humans and wildlife and have the potential to be transmitted between these 2 groups; yet, very little is known about these protozoans in marine wildlife. feces of river otters (lontra canadensis), a common marine wildlife species in the puget sound georgia basin, were examined for species of cryptosporidium and giardia to determine their role in the epidemiology of these pathogens. using znso4 flotation and immunomagnetic separation, followed by ... | 2007 | 17436965 |
| human north american river otter (lontra canadensis) attack. | as a result of the successful restoration and conservation programs deployed by state and federal agencies, populations of the north american river otter (lontra canadensis) are increasing in many states. recreational activities such as swimming, boating, and fishing increase the likelihood of human interactions with this charismatic, nonendangered mustelid. otters tend to avoid areas of high human activity, occur at low population densities, and in some habitats in the united states have not re ... | 2007 | 17447713 |