Wild Otters:Predation and Populations

Despite the popularity of otters, there has been no previous attempt at a scientific description of populations and behaviour of this species, Lutra lutra, in the wild. This book has been written from direct observation of otters populations in Scotland, where the animals are still abundant. There is a great need for this kind of natural history, firstly because it provides the basis for active conservation management, and secondly because of the interest to ecologists and naturalists of the unique and fascinating ecology of mammals living in a very hostile environment.

Contents Include: Introduction 1 Spatial organization, holts, and habitat 2 Social behaviour 3 Diet 4 Fish as prey: numbers, behaviour, and availability 5 Otters fishing: hunting behaviour and strategies 6 Thermo-insulation of otters in the sea and freshwater 7 Populations, survival, and mortality 8 Synthesis: some generalizations and speculations 9 Otters, man, and conservation References Index

Author: Hans Kruuk
Publisher: OUP
Extra Details: Hardback 7 x 10 inches tall. 302 Pages. Illustrated with B&W artworks, distrubution maps and tables. NEW BOOK