EVALUATION OF THE CONSERVATION STATUS AND HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEOTROPICAL OTTER (Lontra longicaudis annectens; MAJOR, 1897), IN LOS PERROS RIVER, TEHUANTEPEC, OAXACA, MEXICO

Abstract

The name of the Los Perros river alludes to the once abundance of otters in its bed. However, in the last six decades there are few systematic records and the information obtained between collaborators from different communities seemed to confirm the disappearance of the Neotropical otter in said ecosystem. In order to know the current status of the species in the area, from June 1 to 6, 2023, tours were carried out to obtain data that would allow evaluating and relating the characteristics and quality of the habitat with respect to its population abundance. At different points and covering almost nine kilometers, the track and photo-trapping records resulted in obtaining 84 excreta and 5 anal secretions that confirmed their presence in the tributary, and thus evaluated their abundance (1.3 otters/Km). A main objective is to obtain useful information that allows socializing and implementing various community conservation actions for the mustelid, whose importance in this and other regions of Mexico is not only biological, but also cultural.