| 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 |
| improved reproductive success in otters (lutra lutra), grey seals (halichoerus grypus) and sea eagles (haliaeetus albicilla) from sweden in relation to concentrations of organochlorine contaminants. | we studied indices of reproductive outcome in three aquatic species in relation to organochlorine concentrations during four decades. in female otters, the frequency of signs of reproduction increased after 1990. in grey seals, pregnancy rate increased 1990-2010 and uterine obstructions ceased after 1993. the frequency of uterine tumours was highest 1980-2000. the number of sea eagle nestlings per checked nest increased 1985-2000, while the frequency of desiccated eggs decreased. organochlorine ... | 2012 | 22842056 |
| performance characteristics of aoac method 2005.06 for the determination of paralytic shellfish toxins in manila clams, european otter clams, grooved carpet shell clams, surf clams, and processed king scallops. | an approach was developed for the verification of method performance of the aoac 2005.06 lc-fluorescence detector (fld) method for determination of paralytic shellfish poisoning (psp) toxins in bivalve shellfish. this was developed following advice published by the analytical laboratory accreditation criteria committee and applied to shellfish species that had not been previously subjected to a full single-laboratory validation scheme. the refined approach was developed following the need to ass ... | 2015 | 26024751 |
| non-invasive genetic mark-recapture as a means to study population sizes and marking behaviour of the elusive eurasian otter (lutra lutra). | quantifying population status is a key objective in many ecological studies, but is often difficult to achieve for cryptic or elusive species. here, non-invasive genetic capture-mark-recapture (cmr) methods have become a very important tool to estimate population parameters, such as population size and sex ratio. the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) is such an elusive species of management concern and is increasingly studied using faecal-based genetic sampling. for unbiased sex ratios or population ... | 2015 | 25973884 |
| trace element analysis of three tissues from eurasian otters (lutra lutra) in south korea. | eurasian otters (lutra lutra) are endangered worldwide, but the specific cause of their decline has not been determined. this study analyzed the concentrations of potentially toxic trace elements, including as, cd, pb, hg, se, cu, mn, and zn, in the liver, kidney, and lung tissues of eurasian otters in south korea. there were high individual variations in the tissue concentrations of all the elements analyzed. the kidneys had the highest concentrations of cd and se among the three tissue groups, ... | 2015 | 25762104 |
| fecal virome analysis of three carnivores reveals a novel nodavirus and multiple gemycircularviruses. | more knowledge about viral populations in wild animals is needed in order to better understand and assess the risk of zoonotic diseases. in this study we performed viral metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from three healthy carnivores: a badger (meles meles), a mongoose (herpestes ichneumon) and an otter (lutra lutra) from portugal. | 2015 | 25986582 |
| concentrations of pcbs, organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and copper) in fish from the drôme river: potential effects on otters (lutra lutra). | in this study samples of ten species of fish were analyzed for concentrations of organochlorine pesticides, pcbs and heavy metals (pb, cd, and cu). fish were captured using electric fishing on ten sites along the drôme river (rhône-alpes region). quantitative determination of the organochlorine and pcbs compounds was performed by gas chromatography-electron-capture detection (gc-ecd). the concentrations of heavy metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. samples contained det ... | 2005 | 15964052 |
| first description of adiaspiromycosis in an eurasian otter (lutra lutra) in italy. | adiaspiromycosis is a pulmonary disease caused by the inhalation of the ubiquitous fungus emmonsia spp., a common soil inhabitant. information about the replication and dissemination of the fungus from the primary site is lacking. members of the family mustelidae seem to be highly susceptible to this infection, which has been previously reported in otters (lutra lutra) in czech republic/slovakia, finland and in the uk. in many cases, emmonsia‑associated lesions have also been reported as inciden ... | 2014 | 25273962 |
| polychlorinated biphenyls and reproductive performance in otters from the norwegian coast. | eurasian otter (lutra lutra) has shown decreasing population trends in most areas of europe until recently, when populations in some areas started to recover. for norway it was postulated that pcb concentrations in the south would be high and that levels in otters will show a geographic pattern that can be related to female otter reproductive health. concentrations of pcbs (measured as the sum of 30 congeners ranging from 0.58 to 29 mg/kg lipid weight [geometric mean 6.18 mg/kg]) were lower than ... | 2010 | 20383701 |
| pcbs in fish of the ardeche river: potential implications for the survival of the otter (lutra lutra). | | 2004 | 15199994 |
| a long-term study of vitamin a and polychlorinated hydrocarbon levels in otters (lutra lutra) in south west england. | seventy-seven wild otters (lutra lutra) found dead in south west england between 1988 and 1996 were examined post mortem. liver samples were analysed from 56 otters for polychlorinated hydrocarbons and from 40 for vitamin a (retinol). there was a significant decline in the levels of pollutants over the study period and this coincided with a marked increase in vitamin a levels. however, a causal relationship was not established. low vitamin a levels were prevalent in the early years of the study ... | 2000 | 15092841 |
| effects of moult, age, and sex on the accumulation of heavy metals in the otter (lutra lutra) in finland. | | 2003 | 12545359 |
| bone mineral density in swedish otters (lutra lutra) in relation to pcb and dde concentrations. | the aim of this study is to elucidate if dde (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) or pcb (polybrominated diphenyls), are responsible for the pathological alterations observed in swedish otter bone tissues. femurs from 86 male otters collected between 1832 and 2004 were measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pqct). some otters had very high and others fairly low concentrations of ocs (ranging between 1.4-970 mg sigmapcb/kg l.w. and 0.0-24 mg dde/kg l.w. in muscle tissue). posit ... | 2010 | 20188416 |
| metal levels in tissues of eurasian otters (lutra lutra) from hungary: variation with sex, age, condition and location. | liver samples of eurasian otters from various parts of hungary were analysed for mercury, copper, zinc, lead and cadmium. only zinc concentration was significantly higher in females. higher mercury and cadmium concentrations in adults and higher zinc values in immature otters were measured. accumulation of mercury, copper and zinc in tissues increased with the declining condition of animals. mercury and copper were detected with higher values in samples from large rivers. | 2009 | 19036400 |
| detection of aleutian disease antibodies in feral american mink in southern england. | fourteen of 27 american mink (mustela vison) trapped in the upper thames region were positive for anti-aleutian disease antibodies. this demonstration of the occurrence of this viral disease in a feral american mink population suggests that it could threaten populations of at least two protected mustelids, the otter (lutra lutra) and the polecat (mustela putorius), and may also play a role in the apparent decline of local mink populations in britain. | 2001 | 11700927 |
| mercury in various tissues of three mustelid species and other trace metals in liver of european otter from eastern finland. | mercury concentrations were monitored in european otter (lutra lutra), european polecat (mustela putorius) and european pine marten (martes martes) collected in eastern finland during the period 1972-2008. otters mainly eat fish, which is an important reason to monitor the bioaccumulation of mercury in this predator. in this species, the highest concentrations were found in fur followed by liver and kidney, and the mercury concentrations increased with increasing age and body weight. males showe ... | 2014 | 23974535 |
| development of novel real-time taqman(®) pcr assays for the species and sex identification of otter (lutra lutra) and their application to noninvasive genetic monitoring. | developing strategies to maintain biodiversity requires baseline information on the current status of each individual species. the development of genetic techniques and their application to noninvasively collected samples have the potential to yield information on the structure of elusive animal populations and so are important tools in conservation management. using dna isolated from faecal samples can be challenging owing to low quantity and quality. this study, however, presents the developme ... | 2013 | 23870402 |
| metals in tissues of european otters (lutra lutra) from denmark, great britain and ireland. | samples of livers of european otters from denmark, great britain and ireland were analyzed for manganese, chromium, zinc, copper, nickel and cobalt. concentrations were generally significantly higher in samples from great britain. it was considered that this reflected the catchment geology from where the specimens originated. | 2001 | 11459138 |
| genetic diversity of the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) population in israel. | the israeli population of eurasian otter (lutra lutra) marks the palearctic southern boundary of the species' distribution in the levant. during the 20th century, the otter population in israel experienced a dramatic decline due to anthropogenic habitat alterations. currently, the otter population in israel is estimated at about 100 individuals and defined as "critically endangered". the aim of this research was to characterize the israeli otter population in order to determine its genetic diver ... | 2013 | 23225879 |
| towards effective culvert design: monitoring seasonal use and behavior by mediterranean mesocarnivores. | drainage culverts are known to be used by a diverse number of species. to date, most studies looking at culvert usage have been restricted to the dry season. this seasonal bias has limited our understanding of how different species respond to culverts and, consequently, our ability to find effective ways to promote the use of culverts as aids to species movement. the main goal of this study was to examine the role of highway culverts for mesocarnivores throughout the year. we addressed (1) the s ... | 2013 | 23208760 |
| helminth fauna of otter (lutra lutra linnaeus, 1758) in belorussian polesie. | | 2000 | 10894485 |
| malignant melanoma in a eurasian otter (lutra lutra). | an 11-yr-old female eurasian otter (lutra lutra) presented with multiple cutaneous nodules identified histologically as malignant melanomas of spindle cell and epithelioid cell type. metastases were detected in lymph nodes and liver, and the tumor, which was derived from melanocytes, showed aggressive biological behavior. only occasional reports exist of neoplastic disease in otters. | 2000 | 10884131 |
| brain base arteries: pattern and variation in the european otter (lutra lutra). | the pattern and variation of the brain base arteries were investigated in 30 specimens of european otter. it was found that the vascular pattern in this species is similar to the vascular pattern found in other carnivora. a very well-developed basilar artery, which was formed as a result of the anastomosis of equally well-developed vertebral arteries and the ventral spinal artery, was demonstrated to be characteristic of the species. most of the variation in the pattern of origin concerned the o ... | 2012 | 22414248 |
| a low-cost gps gsm/gprs telemetry system: performance in stationary field tests and preliminary data on wild otters (lutra lutra). | despite the increasing worldwide use of global positioning system (gps) telemetry in wildlife research, it has never been tested on any freshwater diving animal or in the peculiar conditions of the riparian habitat, despite this latter being one of the most important habitat types for many animal taxa. moreover, in most cases, the gps devices used have been commercial and expensive, limiting their use in low-budget projects. | 2012 | 22242163 |
| extremely low mitochondrial dna control-region sequence variation in the otter lutra lutra population of denmark. | | 1999 | 10509143 |
| renal calculi in wild eurasian otters (lutra lutra) in england. | macroscopic renal calculi were seen in 50 of 492 (10.2 per cent) wild eurasian otters found dead in england from 1988 to 2007. forty-eight adults and two subadults were affected. calculi were present in 15.7 per cent (31 of 197) of adult males and 12.7 per cent (17 of 134) of adult females. there was an increase in prevalence in the study population over time; no calculi were found in 73 otters examined between 1988 and 1996, but in most subsequent years they were observed with increased frequen ... | 2011 | 21676988 |
| normal haematological and serum biochemical values of eurasian otters (lutra lutra) from a scottish rehabilitation centre. | blood samples were taken from 47 clinically normal, wild-born eurasian otters (lutra lutra) before they were released from a rehabilitation centre in scotland between august 1990 and march 1996. serum biochemistry profiles were determined for 47 animals and haematological profiles for 41, and the results from males, females, and animals under or over one year of age were analysed as separate groups and as pooled populations. the normal ranges for a wide variety of haematological and serum bioche ... | 2003 | 9921621 |
| application of biomarkers for exposure and effect of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in naturally exposed european otters (lutra lutra). | in the serious decline of european otters (lutra lutra) over the last decades, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) are considered to be one of the major factors. as no experiments can be conducted with otters, an eco-epidemiological study was performed to derive no observed effect concentrations (noecs) for pcbs in the otter. a strong negative correlation was found between hepatic vitamin a and polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb) concentrations expressed as tcdd-equivalents (teqs), coinciding with a hig ... | 1998 | 21781885 |
| source and sink dynamics of density-dependent otter (lutra lutra) populations in rivers of central finland. | long-term studies were carried out in central finland between 1985 and 2003 to examine the temporal and spatial variation in the density of otter populations. snow tracking was used to estimate the total population and the number of litters in the study area. in total 52 otters, including 16 cubs in 11 litters, lived in the study area (1,650 km(2)) in 2002-2003. the otter population clearly increased during the study period. the increase in density of the otter population was sigmoid, indicating ... | 2007 | 17566780 |
| accuracy in molecular sexing of martens (martes americana and martes caurina) varies among sample types. | we evaluated the accuracy of sex identification using the sry marker for american marten (martes americana) and pacific marten (martes caurina) using samples collected from commercial trappers and those obtained via noninvasive sampling. we determined that sex identification from lut-sry primers is accurate at >90% for muscle and hair samples collected noninvasively. we found much lower accuracy when using hair samples plucked from trapper-killed carcasses, errors presumably incurred from contam ... | 2010 | 21565111 |
| heavy metal concentrations in livers and kidneys of the otter (lutra lutra) from central europe. | | 1998 | 9470989 |
| health status of otters (lutra lutra) in south-west england based on postmortem findings. | seventy-seven wild otters found dead in south-west england between 1988 and 1996 were examined postmortem. road traffic accidents were responsible for 64 of the deaths and there were marked seasonal peaks. bite wounds were present in 12 animals and five were considered to have died from their injuries. the animals' general nutritional state was good, but the males were in overall poorer condition than the females. there was little evidence of infectious disease and the results suggested a young, ... | 1997 | 9292974 |
| otter scent signals age, sex, and reproductive status. | scent is used across taxa to communicate information about signaler identity. eurasian otters lutra lutra are mainly solitary and thought to use scent as their primary means of communication. little is known, however, about what information otters communicate through scent or what social function this performs. headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to sample and analyze volatile organic compounds from anal scent gland secretion from 158 otters o ... | 2011 | 21444931 |
| hepatocellular adenoma in a eurasian otter (lutra lutra). | a 7-year-old female eurasian otter (lutra lutra) at the seoul grand park, korea, died after displaying depression, anorexia, weight loss and rough skin for several days. at necropsy, a solitary friable round mass, which was approximately 12 x 9 x 5 cm and mottled dark red and yellow, was found bulging from the right hepatic lobe. microscopically, the nonencapsulated, poorly circumscribed mass was composed of solid sheets of neoplastic hepatocytes. in addition, numerous small tan foci, ranging fr ... | 2007 | 17322782 |
| applicability of spraints for monitoring organic contaminants in free-ranging otters (lutra lutra). | in the current study, the use of spraints for monitoring levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) in individual otters was experimentally validated. on the basis of a detailed pattern analysis, it is concluded that in the current study, pcb concentrations in spraints that contain relatively high concentrations of nonmetabolizable pcb congeners (pcb 138 and 153 > 42.5% of total pcb concentrations) reflect the internal pcb concentrations of the otter that produced the spraint. in general, howeve ... | 2006 | 17089702 |
| body size changes among otters, lutra lutra, in norway: the possible effects of food availability and global warming. | using museum data of adult specimens whose sex, age, and locality are known, we studied temporal and geographical body size trends among the otter, lutra lutra, in norway. we found that body size of the otters increased during the last quarter of the twentieth century, and suggest that this trend is related to increased food availability from fish farming and possibly also to energy saving due to elevated sea temperatures. birth year and death year explained 38.8 and 43.5%, respectively, of the ... | 2006 | 16868759 |
| lead levels in eurasian otters decline with time and reveal interactions between sources, prevailing weather, and stream chemistry. | the uptake of contaminants by biota varies spatially and temporally due to a complex range of interacting environmental variables, but such complexities are typically disregarded in studies of temporal change. here, we use linear modeling to explore spatial and temporal variation in bone pb levels measured in samples taken from 329 eurasian otters (lutra lutra) found dead in southwest england. between 1992 and 2004 pb levels in otters fell by 73%, following uk legislative control of pb emissions ... | 2011 | 21294545 |
| organochlorine residues in fishes from two rivers in cantabria, spain: implications for a program of otter (lutra lutra) reintroduction. | | 2005 | 16228885 |
| demodex lutrae n. sp. (acari) in european otter lutra lutra (carnivora: mustelidae) with data from other demodecid mites in carnivores. | this article describes morphological characteristics and occurrence of demodex lutrae n. sp., which was found on european otter lutra lutra (linnaeus, 1758) in poland. the new species was found in hairy regions of otter skin, mainly in the head area. with respect to morphological features, d. lutrae is most similar to d. canis (leydig, 1859) from the domestic dog canis familiaris linnaeus, 1758. the new species is a medium-sized demodecid mite (adult stages average 200 μm in length); characteris ... | 2014 | 24945076 |
| cryptosporidium and giardia in wild otters (lutra lutra). | a total of 437 faecal samples from wild otter (lutra lutra) were collected from 161 sites in galicia (northwest spain) and were analysed by a direct immunofluorescence antibody test (ifat). cryptosporidium sp. oocysts and giardia sp. cysts were detected in 17 (3.9%) and 30 (6.8%) samples, respectively. the results demonstrate that otters may contribute to the contamination of watercourses, although further studies are required to establish which species or genotypes of cryptosporidium and giardi ... | 2007 | 17049745 |
| muscle mercury and selenium in fishes and semiaquatic mammals from a selenium-deficient area. | the aim of this study was to investigate and compare total mercury (hg), selenium (se), and se:hg molar ratios in fish muscles (phytophages n=3; benthophages n=32; predators n=5) and semiaquatic carnivores, including piscivores (the european otter n=8, the feral american mink n=7) and the omnivorous raccoon (n=37) from a riverine european ecosystem in a se-deficient area. the hg concentration in fish reached 0.337μg/g dry weight, dw (0.084μg/g wet weight, ww). we found significant differences am ... | 2017 | 27810577 |
| eurasian otters, lutra lutra, have a dominant mtdna haplotype from the iberian peninsula to scandinavia. | the eurasian otter, lutra lutra, has a palaearctic distribution and has suffered a severe decline throughout europe during the last century. previous studies in this and other mustelids have shown reduced levels of variability in mitochondrial dna, although otter phylogeographic studies were restricted to central-western europe. in this work we have sequenced 361 bp of the mtdna control region in 73 individuals from eight countries and added our results to eight sequences available from genbank ... | 2008 | 15388770 |
| recent changes in body size of the eurasian otter lutra lutra in sweden. | we studied geographical and temporal body size trends among 169 adult museum specimens of the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) collected in sweden between 1962 and 2008, whose sex, year of collection, and locality were known. skull size and body mass increased significantly in relation to the year of collection, and skull size (but not body mass) was significantly and negatively related to latitude, contrasting bergmann's rule and the trend found for norwegian otters. latitudinal differences in body ... | 2010 | 21090004 |
| retinal dysplasia in wild otters (lutra lutra). | eyes from 88 otters found dead in south-west england between 1990 and 2000, were collected as part of a larger pathological study. histopathological examination of 131 eyes revealed dysplastic changes such as rosetting and folding in the retinas of 26 of the otters. in the eyes of 42 of the otters there were postmortem and fixation-induced retinal detachment which complicated the differentiation of dysplastic from normal retina, but 11 eyes had folds which probably indicated a dysplastic patholo ... | 2004 | 15285284 |
| detectability of the eurasian otter by standard surveys: an approach using marking intensity to estimate false negative rates. | false negative detections may bias the surveys for rare species and reduce the reliability of models based on the proportion of occupied patches. we assessed the detectability of the eurasian otter lutra lutra through the standard survey method by analysing the detection history of 28 sampling stretches surveyed monthly between march 2001 and january 2003. each survey negative for otter spraints was considered as a false negative if the otter had been recorded in the previous and/or following mo ... | 2011 | 21080153 |
| [primary structure of otter (lutra lutra l.) myoglobin. ii. pepsin peptides of trypsin hydrolysate. reconstruction of the polypeptide chain of the otter myoglobin globin component]. | 13 peptic peptides have been isolated from the insoluble (at ph 5.0) fraction of the tryptic hydrolysate of main chromatographic component of otter myoglobin and their amino acid composition and n-terminal amino acid sequences have been determined. the isolated peptides contain in total 40 amino acid residues. the results obtained, along with those on tryptic peptides and the comparison with homologous portions of myoglobins of the known primary structure, allowed reconstructing the complete ami ... | 2015 | 3775884 |
| intestinal lymphoma of granular lymphocytes in a fisher (martes pennanti) and a eurasian otter (lutra lutra). | intestinal lymphoma of granular lymphocytes was diagnosed in a 6-year-old fisher (martes pennanti) and a geriatric eurasian otter (lutra lutra). clinical signs included lethargy and inappetance in both animals and vomiting and occasional diarrhea in the fisher. the diagnosis in both cases was made using cytology of fresh tissue, histology of fixed tissues, and immunohistochemistry. granules were seen most clearly on cytologic examination of direct impressions from fresh tissue. because granules ... | 2010 | 20597223 |
| organochlorine pesticides, pcbs, heavy metals and anticoagulant rodenticides in tissues of eurasian otters (lutra lutra) from upper loire river catchment (france). | in this study, tissues of the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) from a naturally expanding population along upper loire river (france) catchment were used for contaminants analyses. nine organochlorine pesticides, 16 pcb congeners, five heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, copper and arsenic) and three anticoagulant rodenticides were quantified in livers of road-traffic killed otters. organochlorine compounds and heavy metals were found in 100% of the samples, and occasional contamination by anticoa ... | 2010 | 20594572 |
| use of coarse-resolution models of species' distributions to guide local conservation inferences. | distribution models are used increasingly for species conservation assessments over extensive areas, but the spatial resolution of the modeled data and, consequently, of the predictions generated directly from these models are usually too coarse for local conservation applications. comprehensive distribution data at finer spatial resolution, however, require a level of sampling that is impractical for most species and regions. models can be downscaled to predict distribution at finer resolutions ... | 2010 | 20455912 |
| [study of the n-terminal amino acid sequence of the myoglobin of the squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) and of the otter (lutra lutra)]. | | 2006 | 4790765 |
| on a species of euparyphium (trematoda: echinostomatidae) recorded for the first time from the otter, lutra lutra in india. | | 1968 | 5753055 |
| on some helminth parasites of the otter, lutra lutra. | | 1954 | 13233501 |
| similar estimates of population genetic composition and sex ratio derived from carcasses and faeces of eurasian otter lutra lutra. | collecting faeces is viewed as a potentially efficient way to sample elusive animals. nonetheless, any biases in estimates of population composition associated with such sampling remain uncharacterized. the goal of this study was to compare estimates of genetic composition and sex ratio derived from eurasian otter lutra lutra spraints (faeces) with estimates derived from carcasses. twenty per cent of 426 wild-collected spraints from sw england yielded composite genotypes for 7-9 microsatellites ... | 2003 | 12492895 |
| hope and caution: rewilding to mitigate the impacts of biological invasions. | rewilding is a novel approach to ecological restoration. trophic rewilding in particular aims to reinstate ecological functions, especially trophic interactions, through the introduction of animals. we consider the potential for trophic rewilding to address biological invasions. in this broad review, we note some of the important conceptual and ethical foundations of rewilding, including a focus on ecosystem function rather than composition, reliance on animal agency, and an appeal to an ethic o ... | 2018 | 30348875 |
| quantification of perphenazine in eurasian otter (lutra lutra lutra) urine samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. | perphenazine enanthate has been used in wild animals as a tranquilizer during the period of adaptation to new environments to reduce stress, mortalities and injuries. a gas chromatographic procedure for the quantitative measurement of perphenazine in otter urine has been developed and validated. the method involved an enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucuronidase-arylsulfatase from helix pomatia, followed by a solid-phase extraction with bond elut certify cartridges. the resulting organic phase w ... | 2002 | 11936697 |
| genetic consequences of population decline in the european otter (lutra lutra): an assessment of microsatellite dna variation in danish otters from 1883 to 1993. | the european otter (lutra lutra) was common in denmark until the 1960s, but its present distribution encompasses only a minor part of the country. the aim of this study was to assess whether the recent population decline has resulted in loss of genetic variability and to gain further insight into the dynamics of the population decline. this was done by analysing microsatellite dna variation in contemporary and historical samples, the latter encompassing dna samples extracted from museum specimen ... | 2001 | 11522195 |
| reversible immobilization of eurasian otters with a combination of ketamine and medetomidine. | the efficacy and safety of the combination of medetomidine and ketamine was examined in order to establish an adequate chemical immobilization protocol in the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) for use during translocation projects in spain. thirty-eight eurasian otters ranging in body mass from 3 to 8.7 kg (mean 5.3 kg) were successfully anesthetized on 82 occasions. the dosage of ketamine was 5.1+/-0.8 (3.4-6.6) mg/kg (mean +/- sd; range) combined with medetomidine at a dosage of 51+/-8 rg/kg (34-66 ... | 2001 | 11504230 |
| congener-specific model for polychlorinated biphenyl effects on otter (lutra lutra) and associated sediment quality criteria. | a model for risk assessment was built for simultaneous, congener-specific pcb bioaccumulation from sediment to fish to otters (lutra lutra). toxic equivalence factors (tefs) were used to sum individual congeners in otters to a toxic equivalent concentration (teq) relative to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. microbial dechlorination and burial in sediments and bioaccumulation are modeled to predict time trends of pcb concentrations in otters. effects of accumulated pcbs on otters were assesse ... | 2001 | 11351410 |
| the otter (lutra lutra) in sweden--population trends in relation to sigma ddt and total pcb concentrations during 1968-99. | polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb) has been suggested as the major cause of the european otter (lutra lutra) population decline. this study investigates temporal and geographical changes in otter numbers as well as total pcb and sigma ddt concentrations in otters and their food in different parts of sweden with various pollution impacts during three decades. in sweden, rare species belong to the state and carcasses of such specimens are sent to the authorities. two-hundred and eight specimens have b ... | 2001 | 11202751 |
| bones in the heart skeleton of the otter (lutra lutra). | in most mammalian species the cardiac skeleton is composed of coarse collagen fibres, fibrocartilage, and pieces of hyaline cartilage. bone, the os cordis, is a regular constituent of the ruminant heart. the cardiac skeleton of the otter (lutra lutra) has not previously been described. the skeleton in 30 otter hearts was studied by x-ray analysis and light microscopy. serial sections were cut parallel to the atrioventricular plane and histochemical staining methods were performed to identify con ... | 2000 | 10853970 |
| mitochondrial dna variation in the european otter (lutra lutra) and the use of spatial autocorrelation analysis in conservation. | to add genetic information to the international conservation efforts on european otters lutra lutra, we investigated the genetic population structure in and around a known "source" population of the otter, the oberlausitz (ol) in eastern germany. this was complemented by a first survey of genetic variation levels in the central european otter population. sequence analysis of 300bp of the mitochondrial control region in 76 specimens from the eastern german study region and 53 individuals from sev ... | 2008 | 10739121 |
| sarcocystis species in skeletal muscle of otter (lutra lutra). | cysts of a sarcocystis species were found in large numbers in skeletal muscle of an otter (lutra lutra) which was raised in norway and died in captivity in sweden. this is the first report of sarcocystis infection in the otter. the sarcocysts were 0.3-2.3 mm long and 0.06-0.25 mm wide. as judged by light microscopy the sarcocyst walls were thin (< 3 microns) with a serrated surface but without visible projections. by transmission electron microscopy, the sarcocyst wall measured 0.6-1.8 microns a ... | 1999 | 10070662 |
| polychlorinated biphenyls in the eurasian otter (lutra lutra). | several authors have suggested that contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) constitutes one of the major causes of the decline of the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) in large parts of europe. this chapter provides an overview of available information regarding pcbs in european otters. data on pcb concentrations in european otter tissues differ qualitatively among authors. variations may be found in the organs used for analysis, the analytical method, and format of reported data (lipid wei ... | 1998 | 9666742 |
| decline in pcb levels in otters (lutra lutra). | a decline in total pcb levels in tissues of otters (lutra lutra) from england and wales, averaging 8% per year over the period 1983-1992, is reported. mean pcb levels are now unlikely to pose a threat to otter populations. | 1998 | 9532727 |
| serological survey of toxoplasma gondii and besnoitia besnoiti in a wildlife conservation area in southern portugal. | toxoplasma gondii and besnoitia besnoiti are closely related apicomplexan protozoa. t. gondii is a zoonotic pathogen which may cause serious disease in man and warm-blooded animals, including wild species. b. besnoiti causes bovine besnoitiosis, an emergent disease in europe, which is linked to important production losses. unlike t. gondii, the life cycle of b. besnoiti remains a mystery, since the definitive host has not yet been identified. the aim of this work was to determine the seroprevale ... | 2016 | 31014504 |
| concentrations of mercury in otters (lutra lutra l.) in scotland in relation to rainfall. | concentrations of mercury (hg) were measured in 112 livers of otters from various areas in scotland during 1986-1992. mercury concentration varied from 0.3-44.7 ppm (dry). there was a significant positive correlation between hg in otters and annual rainfall, consistent with an atmospheric origin of mercury pollution. mercury concentration was higher in animals with lower body condition. concentrations were shown to increase with the age of the animal, but not everywhere, and the correlation was ... | 1997 | 15093427 |
| concentrations of some organochlorines in otters (lutra lutra l.) in scotland: implications for populations. | the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and residues of organochlorine pesticides (heod and dde) were measured in livers of otters (lutra lutra) from different areas in scotland. whilst heod and dde occurred at very low concentrations only, pcbs were present in high levels in some areas, the highest in shetland (geom mean 2.05 ppm wet wt), related probably to high levels in sediments in the north-east atlantic. pcbs were a mixture of congeners in which higher-chlorinated ones pred ... | 1996 | 15091396 |
| pcbs and organochlorine pesticide residues in otters (lutra lutra) and in otter spraints from sw england and their likely impact on populations. | pcb and organochlorine pesticide residues were determined in otter (lutra lutra) spraints (faeces) from nine catchment regions in sw england over the period 1989-1991. results of analyses of tissues from 22 otters are also presented. dieldrin occurred in the majority of spraint samples and p,p-dde and total pcbs in all. lindane occurred mainly in samples collected in spring. lindane was not found in otter tissues collected after 1991, but dieldrin, p,p-dde and pcbs were found in all tissues. die ... | 1994 | 8209234 |
| impact of organochlorine pesticide residues and pcbs on otters (lutra lutra) in eastern england. | a study of otter (lutra lutra) populations and levels of organochlorine (oc) pesticide residues and pcbs in otter faeces (spraints) was made on rivers in east anglia, england. population and contaminant levels are compared against target values. it is thought that the native otter population was almost extirpated during the study period. the current population must derive largely, if not entirely, from captive-bred animals introduced since 1983. its range has expanded little and population level ... | 1993 | 8259487 |
| impact of organochlorine pesticide residues and pcbs on otters (lutra lutra): a study from western britain. | a study of otter (lutra lutra) populations and levels of organochlorine (oc) pesticide residues and pcbs in otter droppings (spraints) was made on eight stretches of river in three catchments in wales and west midland england. population and contaminant levels were compared against target values. the otter populations (as measured by an index) remained stable on one stretch over 11 years, while they increased rapidly to equilibrium on four other stretches. the three lower stretches of rivers sho ... | 1993 | 8259486 |
| organochlorine pesticide residues and pcbs in danish otters (lutra lutra). | tissues (71 liver, 2 muscle) of 73 otters found dead in denmark between 1980 and 1990 were analyzed for organochlorine pesticide residues and pcbs. geometric means of contaminant concentrations were generally low, but some otters had pcb concentrations considered to be of concern; a greater proportion of these came from isolated populations away from the main population centre in limfjord. animals dying of unknown causes had greater concentrations of pcbs than those dying by drowning or in traff ... | 1993 | 8493510 |
| 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 |
| adrenocorticolytic ddt-metabolites: studies in mink, mustela vison and otter, lutra lutra. | : the irreversible binding and toxicity of the ddt metabolites p,p'-ddd and o,p-ddd in the adrenal cortex of female mink mustela vison were studied. histological examination of adrenals from mink given a single i.p. injection of p,p'-ddd or o,p'-ddd (125 mg per kg body weight) showed vacuolation, necrosis and focal bleedings in the zonae fasciculata and reticularis. autoradiograms of solvent-extracted tissue sections of minks given a single i.v. injection of p,p'-[(14)c]ddd (0.7 mg per kg body w ... | 1993 | 24203118 |
| suspected aleutian disease in a wild otter (lutra lutra). | clinical and pathological observations of a naturally occurring disease in a british wild otter (lutra lutra) are reported. systemic lymphoreticular proliferative changes with plasmacytosis, glomerulonephritis, arteritis and biliary hyperplasia closely resembled the pathological changes in aleutian disease of mink (mustela vison). feral mink provided a possible source of infection. | 1989 | 2800292 |
| anaesthesia in the european otter (lutra lutra). | | 1988 | 3413944 |
| pathological changes and organochlorine residues in tissues of wild otters (lutra lutra). | in 1984 two adult, wild otters (lutra lutra) from north norfolk were subjected to full post mortem examinations. one was found dead and the other sick. both were thin. no evidence of infectious disease was found, but there were organochlorine concentrations of 433 and 75 mg/kg of fat (69 per cent polychlorinated biphenyls in both) in skeletal muscle. leiomyoma of the reproductive tract and adrenocortical hyperplasia in one otter were similar to age associated changes in other mammals. integument ... | 1988 | 3376402 |
| [primary structure of otter (lutra lutra l.) myoglobin. 1. soluble peptides of a tryptic hydrolysate]. | the amino acid sequence of 24 soluble tryptic peptides has been determined for the main chromatographic component of otter myoglobin. fractionation, identification and peptide isolation have been made by fingerprints. the isolated peptides contain in total 111 amino acid residues. | 2015 | 4071681 |
| [incidence of hyperthermia during immobilization of european otters (lutra lutra) with ketamine hydrochloride]. | | 1984 | 6368181 |
| [experiences with the immobilization of the european otter (lutra lutra) with ketamine hydrochloride]. | | 1983 | 6661171 |
| first study on pcbs, organochlorine pesticides, and trace elements in the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) from southern italy. | persistent organic pollutants (pops), such as organochlorine pesticides (ocps) and non dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (ndl-pcbs), or also other toxic and potentially toxic elements tend to accumulate in the trophic web, and are associated with a wide range of deleterious effects in animals and humans. although these contaminants have been banned since more than 30 years, their occurrence remains widespread in most of natural ecosystems. the eurasian otter (lutra lutra), being a top predat ... | 2020 | 32827826 |
| unveiling patterns of viral pathogen infection in free-ranging carnivores of northern portugal using a complementary methodological approach. | pathogen surveillance in free-ranging carnivores presents challenges due to their low densitie and secretive nature. we combined molecular and serological assays to investigate infections by viral pathogens (canine parvovirus (cpv), canine distemper virus (cdv) and canine coronavirus (ccov)) in portuguese carnivores (canis lupus, vulpes vulpes, lutra lutra, martes foina, m. martes, meles meles, and genetta genetta) over a period of 16 years. additionally we explored spatio-temporal patterns of v ... | 2020 | 32062189 |
| molecular detection of babesia spp. (apicomplexa: piroplasma) in free-ranging canids and mustelids from southern italy. | babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by apicomplexan parasites with widespread geographical distribution and various wildlife species as reservoir hosts. the aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and assess the role of free-ranging canids and mustelids in the maintenance of babesia spp. in southern italy. pcr analysis of splenic samples targeting the 18s rrna gene revealed the presence of babesia spp. in 36 of 82 (43.9%) red foxes (vulpes vulpes) including 29 (58%) ... | 2019 | 31555669 |
| cardiopulmonary nematodes of wild carnivores from denmark: do they serve as reservoir hosts for infections in domestic animals? | the cardiopulmonary nematodes angiostrongylus vasorum, crenosoma vulpis, capillaria aerophila and aelurostrongylus abstrusus, are a cause of concern in the scientific and veterinary community, potentially causing significant disease in domestic animals. to investigate the potential of wild carnivores as reservoir hosts to these parasites, a total of 1041 animals from seven regions of denmark were sampled: 476 raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides), 367 red foxes (vulpes vulpes), 123 american mi ... | 2020 | 32884901 |
| mesocarnivore community structure under predator control: unintended patterns in a conservation context. | across the mediterranean, conservation programmes often operate concomitantly with hunting interests within game-lands. carnivore guilds lie at the interface between contrasting management goals, being simultaneously fundamental components of ecosystems and targets of predator control to reduce predation on game species. here, we evaluate the composition and spatial structure of a mesocarnivore community in a protected area of southeast portugal, with high economic investment in conservation and ... | 2019 | 30653547 |
| dolphin morbillivirus in eurasian otters, italy. | we report biomolecular evidence of dolphin morbillivirus in 4 wild eurasian otters (lutra lutra) from southern italy; 2 animals showed simultaneous immunohistochemical reactivity against morbilliviral antigen. these cases add further concern and support to the progressively expanding host range of dolphin morbillivirus in the western mediterranean sea. | 2019 | 30666943 |
| prevalence of capillaria plica in danish wild carnivores. | capillaria plica is a parasitic nematode belonging to the family capillariidae. the adult parasites reside in the urinary tract of wild and domestic canines. the infection is most often asymptomatic, but can cause a wide range of symptoms including urinary bladder inflammation, pollacisuria, dysuria and hematuria. canines acquire the infection by ingesting the intermediate host, the earthworm (lumbricidae). epidemiological studies on c. plica infection in wildlife are few and only one previous d ... | 2018 | 30302310 |
| causes of mortality and morbidity in free-ranging mustelids in switzerland: necropsy data from over 50 years of general health surveillance. | although mustelids occur worldwide and include a wide range of species, little is known about the diseases affecting them. mustelids have regularly been submitted for post mortem investigation in the framework of the program for general wildlife health surveillance in switzerland, which has been in place for nearly 60 years. we performed a retrospective analysis of the necropsy reports on mustelids submitted to the diagnostic service of the university of bern. the aims of this study were to pres ... | 2018 | 29921290 |
| 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 |
| clinical leishmaniosis in a captive eurasian otter (lutra lutra) in spain: a case report. | captive and free-ranging wild mammals have been recognized as potential reservoirs of leishmania infantum infection. the aim of this study was to describe the first clinical case of leishmaniosis in the eurasian otter. | 2020 | 32854701 |
| biological and anthropogenic predictors of metal concentration in the eurasian otter, a sentinel of freshwater ecosystems. | toxic metals have been linked to a range of adverse health effects in freshwater organisms. however, for higher vertebrates, there is little understanding of the large-scale drivers of exposure. we quantified toxic metal/semi-metal concentrations in a sentinel freshwater top predator, the eurasian otter (lutra lutra), across england and wales, and determined how this varied with key natural and anthropogenic factors. we related liver concentrations in 278 otters that died between 2006 and 2017 t ... | 2020 | 32823066 |
| the diet of otters (lutra lutra) on the agri river system, one of the most important presence sites in italy: a molecular approach. | the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) underwent a strong decline in large areas of the central-western part of its distribution range, during the second half of the twentieth century. in italy, only residual fragmented nuclei survive in the central-southern part of the peninsula. nowadays, the otter is one of the most endangered mammals in italy, and increasing the knowledge about the ecology of this species is a key step in defining fitting management strategies. here we provide information about th ... | 2020 | 32821542 |
| dietary complexity and hidden costs of prey switching in a generalist top predator. | variation in predator diet is a critical aspect of food web stability, health, and population dynamics of predator/ prey communities. quantifying diet, particularly among cryptic species, is extremely challenging, however, and differentiation between demographic subsets of populations is often overlooked.we used prey remains and data taken postmortem from otter lutra lutra to determine the extent to which dietary variation in a top predator was associated with biotic, spatial, and temporal facto ... | 2020 | 32724521 |
| stoichiometric variation within and between a terrestrial herbivorous and a semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal. | the elemental composition of the mammalian body is widely believed to be more or less constant within and among species, yet reliable comparisons of elemental content are lacking. here, we examine the elemental composition of two mammal species with different diet and provenance: terrestrial herbivorous fallow deer (dama dama) - collected from a single area - and semi-aquatic carnivorous eurasian otter (lutra lutra) - collected from different areas. | 2020 | 32693327 |
| thymic hematoma found in a wild eurasian otter (lutra lutra). | thymic hematomas are uncommon in animals, and the few reported cases are all in dogs. in may 2019, we necropsied a wild eurasian otter (lutra lutra) in junju, republic of korea, and found a thymic hematoma without any signs of trauma or hemorrhage in other organs, except for a hemothorax. this study describes the macroscopic and microscopic examinations of a thymic hematoma in an eurasian otter. | 2020 | 32402232 |
| 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 |
| dna metabarcoding-based diet survey for the eurasian otter (lutra lutra): development of a eurasian otter-specific blocking oligonucleotide for 12s rrna gene sequencing for vertebrates. | the eurasian otter (lutra lutra) is an endangered species for which diet analyses are needed as part of its conservation efforts. eurasian otters feed on vertebrates, such as fishes, and invertebrates, such as crustaceans, but their detailed taxonomies are not fully understood in part due to limited resolving power of traditional morphological identification methods. here, we used high-throughput sequencing (hts)-based dna metabarcoding approaches to analyze diet profiles of eurasian otters inha ... | 2019 | 31830120 |
| 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 |
| experimental evaluation of the potential for crayfish plague transmission through the digestive system of warm-blooded predators. | the crayfish plague pathogen (aphanomyces astaci) can be transmitted through the digestive system of fish, but its dispersal through mammalian and bird digestive tracts has been considered unlikely, and direct experimental evidence remains scarce. we present a small-scale transmission experiment with european otter and american mink fed with infected crayfish, and experiments testing survival of cultures of five a. astaci strains at temperatures corresponding to those inside mammal and bird bodi ... | 2020 | 31724193 |
| helminths of mustelids with overlapping ecological niches: eurasian otter lutra lutra (linnaeus, 1758), american mink neovison vison schreber, 1777, and european polecat mustela putorius linnaeus, 1758. | this study presents the helminthological data on three mustelid species with overlapping ecological niches in lithuania. in general, 14 helminth species or higher taxa were reported from all mustelids: isthmiophora melis, strigea strigis metacercariae, pseudamphistomum truncatum, alaria alata mesocercariae, phyllodistomum folium, opisthorchis felineus, metametorchis skrjabini, mesocestoides sp., taenia martis, aonchotheca putorii, crenosoma schachmatovae, eucoleus aerophilus, molineus patens, an ... | 2019 | 31662675 |
| the habitat, ecological life conditions, and usage characteristics of the otter (lutra lutra l. 1758) in the balikdami wildlife development area. | the study was conducted to determine the habitat usage characteristics of the otter, which provides important information on the status of aquatic and coastal ecosystems. the balikdami (fish house) wildlife development area, where the study was carried out, was registered in 1994 and was declared a natural site in 1998. the total area of the site is 1470 km2. in order to determine the habitat usage characteristics of the otter, photo traps were placed according to the assumed habitat characteris ... | 2019 | 31617007 |