Distribution and diet of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) on the river Segura: (SE Spain)
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Ettore Emanuele Dettori ; Victor Manuel Zapata-Perez ; Daniel Bruno ; Inmaculada Concepción Soto-Otón ; Nuria Rubio Saura ; Alessandro Balestreri ; Francisco Robledano-Aymerich [1]
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[1] Universidad de Murcia
Universidad de Murcia
Murcia, España
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- Localización: IV Jornadas Doctorales Escuela Internacional de Doctorado de la Universidad de Murcia (Eidum), 2019, ISBN 978-84-09-09200-0, págs. 1043-1043
- Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
In the last 30 years the otter Lutra lutra has expanded its range in the catchment of the River Segura. Between April 2016 and December 2017, 30 stretches (mean length ± SD = 0.5 ± 0.3 km) were surveyed 1-10 times, covering a 109,78 km long section of the river, for a total of 205 surveys. Otter presence was recorded in 27 sites (90%), while the percentage of positive surveys was 35%. A total of 416 spraints was collected. Mean number of spraints per 100 m was 3.72. Untill now 176 faecal samples have been analyzed by standard methods to assess otter diet in the study area. Fish and Crustaceans formed the bulk (mean % Volu- me = 86,1) of otter diet. Most preyed species were crayfish Procambarus clarkii (F%= 56.1%, V% = 72.8), Cyprinus carpio (F% = 22,1, V% = 65.0), Luciobarbus sclateri (F% = 26.0, V% = 74.3), Sander lucioperca (F% = 16,8, V% = 69.7). Food items of secondary importance were Gallinula chloropus (F% = 5,8, V% = 48.5), Anas platyrhynchos (F% = 0.58, V% = 75.0), frogs (Ranidae, F% = 17.9, V% = 18.9), and rodents (Muridae, F% = 15.6, V% = 27.1).
