Identifying biological characteristics of the river otter (Lontra canadensis) that support their use as an aquatic flagship species

Large scale habitat loss, unprecedented rates of species extinction, and other biodiversity issues have prompted wildlife conservationists to increasingly apply the “flagship” species concept to guide conservation decision... [ view full abstract ]

Large scale habitat loss, unprecedented rates of species extinction, and other biodiversity issues have prompted wildlife conservationists to increasingly apply the “flagship” species concept to guide conservation decision making. Flagship species are designated based on their ability to serve a socio-economic role, attracting public attention and financial support to conservation goals. Critical to a flagships success is evaluating if it meets certain pre-established socio-cultural (e.g., well-liked, positive associations) and biological (e.g., having a wide geographic distribution, being recognizable and easily observed, and possessing unique behaviors) criteria that have been identified as important. The river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a widely distributed apex predator and has socio-cultural and natural history traits that make it a potentially ideal flagship. However, empirical evidence supporting the use of the river otter as a flagship is lacking. Our previous research has indicated that river otters are a well-liked and popular species among aquatic recreationists in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), but little biological information is available to inform general visitors and tour guides. Our study will evaluate biological characteristics of the river otter in portions GTNP to provide needed information to various stakeholders in GTNP while also determining if the river otter meets pre-established criteria identified as important of a successful flagship. Specifically we will assess activity patterns and behaviors of river otters at latrines in GTNP to demonstrate if the river otter is viewable, and provide information on when, where, and how tourists in GTNP can view river otters in the wild. We deployed remote cameras at river otter latrines between June-August 2015 and June-August 2016 on the Snake River in GTNP. Activity periods, duration, and group size of the river otters visiting latrines were evaluated. Preliminary results suggest that river otters are most active between 06:00-09:00 and 18:00-19:00 and were detected in large group sizes (8 otters) on multiple occasions. These results suggest that river otters are a visible species in GTNP, supporting their use as a flagship. The outcomes of this study can be applied to other studies interested in using a holistic approach to the flagship species concept.