| 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 |
| 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 |
| evaluation of injury severity and hematologic and plasma biochemistry values for recently captured north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | as part of a reintroduction program, blood samples from free-ranging, recently captured nearctic river otters (lontra canadensis) in eastern new york state were collected and analyzed to determine baseline hematology and plasma biochemistry values for the source population, and to determine whether these values were significant predictors of trap-injury status. based on physical exam, each otter was classified as uninjured, moderately injured, or severely injured. clinical pathology parameters w ... | 2005 | 17312754 |
| mercury levels in mink (mustela vison) and river otter (lontra canadensis) from northeastern north america. | aquatic ecosystems have received mercury released from anthropogenic sources. the northeast region of north america is at especially high risk because of local and regional emission sources, prevailing wind patterns, and certain hydrological and biogeochemical features. here we examine regional variation in total mercury (hg) in brain, liver, and fur from otter and mink collected across new york, new england, and nova scotia. gender and age are examined as factors potentially affecting hg tissue ... | 2005 | 15931971 |
| bilateral uric acid nephrolithiasis and ureteral hypertrophy in a free-ranging river otter (lontra canadensis). | we report the first case of uric acid nephrolithiasis in a free-ranging river otter (lontra canadensis). a 7 yr old male river otter collected from the skagit river of western washington (usa) had bilateral nephrolithiasis and severely enlarged ureters (one of 305 examined [0.33%]). the uroliths were 97% uric acid and 3% protein. microscopic changes in the kidney were confined to expansion of renal calyces, minor loss of medullary tissue, and multifocal atrophy of the cortical tubules. no inflam ... | 2003 | 14733290 |
| surgical technique for intra-abdominal radiotransmitter placement in north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | twenty-two free-ranging north american river otters (lontra canadensis) from northern and eastern new york were captured and surgically implanted with radiotransmitters as part of a relocation project. the surgical technique involved an incision in the paralumbar fossa and transection through the abdominal musculature to introduce a radiotransmitter into the abdominal cavity. two complications were encountered. excessive hemorrhage occurred during one procedure. the otter was treated for blood l ... | 2001 | 12790421 |
| perfluorooctanesulfonate and related fluorinated hydrocarbons in mink and river otters from the united states. | mink and otters are good integrators of their aquatic environments and useful sentinel species for determining exposure to environmental contaminants. in this study, perfluorooctanesulfonate (pfos; c8f17so3-), perfluorooctanesulfonamide (fosa; c8f17so2nh2), perfluorohexanesulfonate (pfhxs; c6f13so3-), and perfluorooctanoate (pfoa; c7f15co2-) were measured in livers of mink and river otters collected from various locations in the united states. pfos was found in all mink livers analyzed. frequenc ... | 2002 | 12099451 |
| ra-226 in bone of mink (mustela vison) and otter ( lutra canadensis) taken near u workings at elliot lake, canada, and from reference areas, with calculation of transfer parameters. | | 2002 | 12012064 |
| characteristics of sex-biased dispersal and gene flow in coastal river otters: implications for natural recolonization of extirpated populations. | river otters (lontra canadensis) were extirpated from much of their historic distribution because of exposure to pollution and urbanization, resulting in expansive reintroduction programmes that continue today for this and other species of otters worldwide. bioaccumulation of toxins negatively affects fecundity among mustelids, but high vagility and different dispersal distances between genders may permit otter populations to recover from extirpation caused by localized environmental pollution. ... | 2002 | 11928704 |
| polymerized bovine hemoglobin (oxyglobin solution) administration in two river otters (lutra canadensis). | polymerized bovine hemoglobin (oxyglobin solution(®)) was successfully administered to two river otters (lutra canadensis) that required general anesthesia and surgery for trap-related injuries. in both animals, blood oxygen content was maintained at presurgical levels despite a 47-70% decrease in their hematocrit. otter 1 received a dose of 19 ml kg(-1), given at a rate of 29 ml kg(-1) h(-1). otter 2 received a dose of 20 ml kg(-1), given at a rate of 5 ml kg(-1) h(-1). for many of the uncommon ... | 2001 | 28404257 |
| natural exposure of coastal river otters to mercury: relation to age, diet, and survival. | we evaluated effects of location (i.e., jackpot bay, a naturally contaminated site, and herring bay, reference site), diet as determined by stable isotopes, and age on mercury concentrations in individual river otters (lontra canadensis) from prince william sound, alaska, usa. we also investigated the effects of mercury accumulation on survival of river otters from these two locations. our results indicated that mercury concentrations in fishes from jackpot bay were significantly higher than tho ... | 2001 | 11521825 |
| biomarker responses in river otters experimentally exposed to oil contamination. | investigations in prince william sound (alaska, usa) following the exxon valdez oil spill (evos) revealed that river otters (lontra canadensis) on oiled shores had lower body mass and elevated values of biomarkers, than did otters living on nonoiled shores. in addition, otters from oiled areas selected different habitats, had larger home ranges, and less diverse diets than animals living in nonoiled areas. these differences between river otters from oiled shores and those from nonoiled areas str ... | 2001 | 11504223 |
| hematology and serum biochemistry parameters of north american river otters (lontra canadensis). | blood samples were obtained from 155 north american river otters (lontra canadensis; 94 adult males, 38 adult females, 10 juvenile males, and 13 juvenile females) to establish baseline hematology and from 50 adult river otters (40 males and 10 females) for baseline serum biochemistry parameters for the species. the otters were livetrapped from eastern north carolina (usa) during a 4-yr period. data for 14 routine hematologic parameters and 22 serum chemistry assays showed significant differences ... | 2000 | 11428394 |
| infectious and parasitic diseases and contaminant-related problems of north american river otters (lontra canadensis): a review. | the aquatic north american river otter (lontra canadensis), a charismatic nonendangered mustelid, presently occupies a greatly reduced range. the species is common in zoos and has economic value as a furbearer. at least 17 states and one canadian province have undertaken recent reintroduction programs. nevertheless, little has been published on nonparasitic diseases of river otters, and little is known of the clinical significance of most of their parasitic infections. records of environmental c ... | 2000 | 11428392 |
| response of river otters to experimental exposure of weathered crude oil: fecal porphyrin profiles. | profiles of porphyrins were characterized in fecal samples from river otters (lontra canadensis) experimentally exposed to weathered crude oil to determine effects on heme synthesis. fifteen male river otters were randomly assigned to three groups of five individuals each representing a control group, a low-dosage group that received 5 mg/kg body mass of oil per day, and a high-dosage group that received 50 mg/kg body mass of oil per day. mean levels of coproporphyrin iii (coproiii) and protopor ... | 2001 | 11349287 |
| induction of cytochrome p450 1a1 expression in captive river otters fed prudhoe bay crude oil: evaluation by immunohistochemistry and quantitative rt-pcr. | numerous studies have explored the relationships between exposure to a variety of environmental contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and induction of cytochrome p450 1a (cyp1a) in different vertebrates. few controlled studies, however, simulated chronic long-term exposure with repeated non-lethal sampling of the same individuals, which should better represent repeated exposure incidents in animals inhabiting polluted areas. in this study, we investigated the effects of chronic ... | 2001 | 23886277 |
| spatial variation in mercury concentrations in wild mink and river otter carcasses from the james bay territory, québec, canada. | mercury concentrations were analyzed in different organs/tissues of wild minks (mustela vison) and river otters (lutra canadensis) trapped during two seasons in the james bay territory (49 degrees n to 55 degrees n, québec, canada). in 1993-94, mean total hg concentration (microg/g, wet weight) in 39 wild mink and 12 river otter carcasses was greatest in fur/hair samples (30.1 and 20.7 microg/g, respectively) and least in brain samples (0.96 and 0.8 microg/g, respectively) with liver, kidney, an ... | 2001 | 11116347 |
| ingestion of crude oil: effects on digesta retention times and nutrient uptake in captive river otters. | studies following the exxon valdez oil spill in prince william sound, alaska indicated that river otters (lontra canadensis) from oiled regions displayed symptoms of degraded health, including reduced body weight. we examined the fate of ingested oil in the digestive tract and its effects on gut function in captive river otters. fifteen wild-caught males were assigned to three groups, two of which were given weathered crude oil in food (i.e., control, 5 ppm day(-1), and 50 ppm day(-1)) under con ... | 2000 | 11083525 |
| distribution of inorganic and methylmercury among tissues in mink (mustela vison) and otter (lutra canadensis). | total mercury and methylmercury concentrations were measured in brain, kidney, liver, and fur from several mink and otter collected in south-central ontario. there was a large range in concentrations of both total and methylmercury. the percentage of the total mercury present as methylmercury varied among the various tissues; however, the percentage mercury found as the methyl form was relatively constant within a given tissue for all tissues in mink but highly variable in otter. for both specie ... | 2000 | 11068926 |
| comparison of spectrofluorometric and hplc methods for the characterization of fecal porphyrins in river otters. | a spectrofluorometric method (b. grandchamp et al., 1980, biochem. biophys. acta 629, 577-586) developed for the determination of amounts of uroporphyrin i (uro i), coproporphyrin iii (copro iii), and protoporphyrin ix (proto ix) in skin fibroblasts was compared with a high-performance liquid chromatography (hplc) method for the analysis of porphyrins in fecal samples of river otters (lutra canadensis). heptacarboxylate porphyrin i and coproporphyrin i, two porphyrins determined to be critical i ... | 2000 | 10991782 |
| pulmonary silicosis in three north american river otters (lutra canadensis). | three adult female north american river otters (lutra canadensis) demonstrated severe anesthetic complications shortly after being immobilized for dental procedures. two of the animals died shortly after anesthesia, and the third otter died 2 mo after immobilization. all three animals were diagnosed with pulmonary silicosis on the basis of histopathology, polarized light microscopy, and mass spectrometry. one animal also had primary pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma. significant concurrent dis ... | 1999 | 10749447 |
| technique of mandibular salivary gland biopsy in river otters (lutra canadensis). | a franklin-silverman biopsy needle was used to obtain 2-5- x 1-2-mm mandibular salivary gland tissue samples percutaneously from nine north american river otters (lutra canadensis). the samples were suitable for fluorescent antibody or polymerase chain reaction rabies testing. ninety-two percent (11/12) of the biopsy procedures yielded histologically confirmed salivary gland tissue, and the remaining biopsy yielded adipose tissue. no complications were noted after 5-21 days. | 1999 | 10484141 |
| exertional myopathy in translocated river otters from new york. | lesions consistent with exertional myopathy (em) were documented postmortem in four north american river otters (lutra canadensis) during translocation for a population restoration project. clinical signs in these otters included depression, anorexia and shock. gross lesions in one otter included locally extensive linear, pale areas within the subscapularis, rectus abdominis, quadriceps, and dorsal laryngeal muscles. microscopic lesions were characterized by acute to subacute myofiber necrosis o ... | 1999 | 10479089 |
| butyltin compounds in river otters (lutra canadensis) from the northwestern united states. | butyltin compounds, including mono-, di-, and tributyltin (mbt, dbt, and tbt) were measured in livers of 40 adult river otters (lutra canadensis) collected from rivers and coastal bays in washington and oregon, usa. butyltins were found in all the river otters, at a concentration range of 8.5-2,610 ng/g, ww. the greatest concentration of total butyltins of 2,610 ng/g, ww, was found in a river otter collected in puget sound from fort ward, washington. river otters collected near areas with major ... | 1999 | 10227866 |
| reproductive and morphological condition of wild mink (mustela vison) and river otters (lutra canadensis) in relation to chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination. | we assessed chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination of mink and river otters on the columbia and fraser river systems of northwestern north america, in relation to morphological measures of condition. we obtained carcasses of mink and river otters from commercial trappers during the winters 1994-1995 and 1995-1996. necropsies included evaluation of the following biological parameters: sex, body mass and length, age, thymus, heart, liver, lung, spleen, pancreas, kidney, gonad, omentum, adrenal glan ... | 1999 | 9924010 |
| heavy and trace metals in wild mink (mustela vison) and river otter (lontra canadensis) captured on rivers receiving metals discharges. | | 1998 | 9841719 |
| an examination of spatial variation in mercury concentrations in otter (lutra canadensis) in south-central ontario. | hair samples were collected from otter (lutra canadensis) trapped in several parts of south-central ontario, canada. the concentrations of total hg in hair were compared with methyl mercury concentrations in liver tissues from the same individuals to determine if hair is a suitable monitoring tissue. hg in the two tissues was significantly correlated. hair was used to monitor hg in 51 individuals from four townships. the concentrations of total hg in hair ranged from 4 to 20 micrograms/g. no sig ... | 1998 | 9652129 |
| energy metabolism of underwater swimming in river-otters (lutra lutra l.). | we used a still-water swim channel in conjunction with open-flow oxygen and carbon dioxide respirometry to examine the energy requirements of river-otters (lutra lutra l.) swimming voluntarily underwater in neumünster zoo (germany). while at rest on land (5 degrees c), river-otters had a respiratory quotient of 0.77 and a resting metabolic rate of 4.1 w kg-1. this increased to an estimated 6.4 w kg-1 during rest in water (11-15 degrees c) and to 12.3 w kg-1 when the animals were feeding in the c ... | 1998 | 9542149 |
| tiletamine-zolazepam anesthesia in north american river otters (lutra canadensis) and its partial antagonism with flumazenil. | north american river otters (lutra canadensis) were anesthetized with tiletamine-zolazepam or tiletamine-zolazepam-flumazenil combinations in cooperation with the north carolina wildlife resources commission otter restoration project for evaluation of physiologic changes during anesthesia. sixteen otters received tiletamine-zolazepam (4 mg/kg combined, i.m.) in 1994. induction and recovery times were recorded and physiologic data (heart rate and rhythm, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, rela ... | 1997 | 9523636 |
| postanesthetic monitoring of core body temperature using telemetry in north american river otters (lutra canadensis). | remote thermal telemetry was performed on north american river otters (lutra canadensis) during the 1995 north carolina wildlife resources commission otter restoration project. otters were anesthetized with either ketamine-midazolam (n = 11) or tiletamine-zolazepam (n = 9) combinations. based upon initial rectal temperatures, mild to moderate hyperthermia (39.4-40.5 degrees c) developed in five otters given ketamine-midazolam and three otters given tiletamine-zolazepam. following anesthetic indu ... | 1997 | 9523635 |
| the impact of water temperature on core body temperature of north american river otters (lutra canadensis) during simulated oil spill recovery washing protocols. | ten north american river otters (lutra canadensis) were anesthetized with telazol and instrumented with ingestable radiotelemetry temperature sensors for measuring core body temperature. the otters were then subjected to a washing protocol to simulate rehabilitation following an oil spill contamination. this protocol consisted of a 30-min wash in a 1:16 dilution of dishwashing liquid using either cold (24 degrees c) water or water near baseline core body temperature (38.4 degrees c), followed by ... | 1997 | 9523634 |
| what is your diagnosis? a river otter with anemia. | | 1997 | 12658606 |
| differences in faecal profiles of porphyrins among river otters exposed to the exxon valdez oil spill. | abstract river otters (lutra canadensis) living in marine environments of prince william sound, alaska, exposed to crude oil from the exxon valdez spill in march 1989, showed significantly elevated levels of faecal porphyrin over those of otters from non-oiled areas (oiled mean = 48.2, andnon-oiled mean = 34.5 nmol g(-1) dry faeces). profiles of uro-, hepta-, hexa-, penta-, copro-, andprotoporphyrin profiles were qualitatively characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography. these findin ... | 1996 | 23888993 |
| sublethal concentrations of mercury in river otters: monitoring environmental contamination. | hair, muscle, and liver mercury concentrations were determined in river otter (lutra canadensis) carcasses collected from the lower coastal plain and piedmont of georgia. mean muscle and hair mercury concentrations were greater (p < 0.001) in otters from the lower coastal plain (4.42 and 24.25 mg/kg wet wt, respectively) compared to otters from the piedmont (1.48 and 15.24 mg/kg, respectively). liver tissue from lower coastal plain otters averaged 7.53 mg/kg mercury. mean fetus brain and muscle ... | 1994 | 7944553 |
| evidence for recovery of body mass and haptoglobin values of river otters following the exxon valdez oil spill. | levels of blood haptoglobin (hp) and interleukin-6 immunoreactive protein (il-6 ir) were significantly elevated in river otters (lutra canadensis) inhabiting oiled areas of prince william sound, alaska (usa) following the exxon valdez oil spill in 1989. by may and june 1992, however, such differences were not apparent. mean body mass of otters, adjusted for sex, age-class, and total length with analysis of covariance, differed between oiled and non-oiled areas from 1990 to 1992, but were nearly ... | 1994 | 7933287 |
| differences in blood haptoglobin and length-mass relationships in river otters (lutra canadensis) from oiled and nonoiled areas of prince william sound, alaska. | significant differences in levels of blood haptoglobin occurred between river otters (lutra canadensis) inhabiting oiled (mean = 361 mg/100 ml, sd = 38, n = 6) and nonoiled (mean = 306 mg/100 ml, sd = 87, n = 8) areas of prince william sound, alaska (usa) following the exxon valdez oil spill in 1989. additionally, male river otters from oiled areas had significantly lower body mass (1.13 kg) than male otters from nonoiled areas. we propose oil-related causes for these differences. | 1993 | 8487390 |
| cause-effect linkages between chemicals and populations of mink (mustela vison) and otter (lutra canadensis) in the great lakes basin. | following outbreaks of reproductive failure in commercial ranching operations, laboratory experiments showed that mink are extremely sensitive to organochlorine chemicals, particularly pcbs and dioxins. the purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis that, since wild mink are exposed to these compounds through consumption of great lakes fish, they might exhibit reproductive dysfunction and population declines. the otter, another piscivorous animal, should show the same effects. the available ... | 1991 | 1908526 |
| oestrus and the vaginal smear cycle of the river otter, lutra canadensis. | vaginal smears of river otters contained specific cellular associations which can be used to monitor their reproductive cycle. the anoestrous period was identified by the presence of large intermediate epithelial cells while the onset of pro-oestrus was gradual and the duration difficult to determine. oestrus was indicated by an influx of nucleated and non-nucleated cornified cells which continue after mating. the metoestrous smear was characterized by large quantities of leucocytes and mucus. | 1988 | 3411554 |
| levels of lead, cadmium and other elements in mink and otter from ontario, canada. | concentrations of pb, cd, cu, ni, fe, zn, mn, ca, p, mg and s were measured in tissues of mink (mustela vision) and river otter (lutra canadensis) from five areas of ontario, canada. bone pb levels in both species were lowest in animals from the collection site most remote from industrial activity and atmospheric deposition of pollutants. mean liver and kidney cd levels were also different between collection sites and may reflect natural and/or anthropogenic sources. copper levels in liver, but ... | 1988 | 15092606 |
| ra-226 concentrations in otter, lutra canadensis, trapped near uranium tailings at elliot lake, ontario. | | 1987 | 3801690 |
| electrocardiograms of american river otters (lutra canadensis) during immobilization. | | 1985 | 3162040 |
| inanition following implantation of a radiotelemetry device in a river otter. | | 1984 | 6511608 |
| clinical evaluation of american river otters in a reintroduction study. | ten american river otters (lutra canadensis) were evaluated clinically before release into oklahoma waterways. otters were immobilized for physical, radiographic, and electrocardiographic examinations and for collection of blood samples. hematologic and serum biochemical analyses, urinalyses, parasitologic examinations, surgical omental biopsies, and necropsy findings were included. respiratory tract disease, bacterial and parasitic infections, and starvation apparently were contributing causes ... | 1984 | 6511575 |
| surgical implantation of radiotelemetry devices in american river otters. | the oklahoma department of wildlife conservation elected to investigate the feasibility of reintroducing american river otters (lutra canadensis) into oklahoma waterways. intra-abdominal radiotelemetry devices were selected to monitor otter movements following release. for implantation of those devices, the anesthetic regimen included a mixture of ketamine hcl, xylazine, and acepromazine maleate given intramuscularly followed by delivery of isoflurane through precision vaporizers. a ventral midl ... | 1984 | 6511574 |
| heavy metal concentrations in tissues of virginia river otters. | | 1983 | 6850135 |
| ixodes uriae (acari: ixodidae) from a river otter. | | 1977 | 845891 |
| latagophthirus rauschi, new genus and new species (anoplura: echinophthiriidae) from the river otter (carnivora: mustelidae). | | 1974 | 4420686 |
| age determination, by use of the baculum, in the river otter, lutra c. canadensis schreber. | | 1949 | 18126485 |
| an anomalous muscle in the california river otter. | | 1935 | 17810169 |
| a nevada record for the canada otter. lutra canadensis (schreber). | | 1913 | 17810406 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |