Otter
About twenty otters are waiting to be set free in the water courses of
Majella and Gran Sasso.
These animals were bred by the Forest Rangers in Caramanico, in the natural
reserve of Orfento and by WWF in the lake of Penne one.
If the complex operation of reintroduction will be carried out, these
elegant mustelids will fatten up the small group living here, still
threatened with extinction.
Few years ago the Otter was sighted in all the Abruzzi rivers and it was
easy to find it; today this species are threatened with extinction
everywhere. Between the Orfento and the Orta, tracks of some specimen were
discovered by Paolo Barrasso in the Eighties. At present, new researches
confirmed the disappearance of this animal from both Orfento and Orta rivers.
It will required to set up again the habitat and to reduce the barriers in
order to support the shiftings of animals, before to start up a real
reintroduction. Otherwise it doesn’t ensure the survival of a noteworthy
population. If the Otter come-back, nocturnal and elusive predator, is
probably the most difficult operation, other interventions have already
succeeded and demonstrated that is possible to give back the Park its
natural conditions.
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Description |
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The Otter have a slim body with long, thick and tapered tail and
four-webbed legs. It stands out for its speed in the water,
quickness and its large sizes. Thanks to its vibrissae is able
to intercept the preys and to find its way in the water even at
night. The eyes are also well-fitted to the underwater life. |
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Behaviour |
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The Otter - usually elusive, lonely and nocturnal – spends its
days between roots, trees or inside rock cavities, along the
riversides. Despite of its discretion it behaves in a playful
way with cubs. This animal can quickly swim, keeping the fore
legs along its flanks, going forward with strong movements of
body, tail and hind legs. |
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Feeding |
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It mainly catches slow fishes such as chubs or barbels, but also
amphibians and unfledged of water birds. |
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Habitat |
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The Otter is a real biological indicator of clear waters; it
lives along the rivers provided with haunts and plenty of food
resources. |
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Presence |
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Here is a list of sings that can prove its presence: faeces with
fishscales and fishbones, left in particular spots like on rocks
in the middle of the river or under trunks on the exposed
gravelly river bed. Its tracks are very typical and show the
five fingers alternated with interdigital membrane. |
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Sighting |
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Given its nocturnal habits, is difficult to sight it, because of
its fear of the men as well. This animal leads a lonely life,
except of the mating period when it can be found in couples or
in familiar groups after the birth of cubs. The sighting is
easier in the Faunistic Area of Caramanico terme, where is
possible to catch all its behaviours. |
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Life Span |
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More or less 10-15 years. |
The Otter inside the Faunistic Area of Majella (length 50")
