Report Details
Genetic Profile, Dietary Analysis, and Parasitic Infections of River Otters (Lontra canadensis) in Pennsylvania
The North American, or Nearctic river otter, (Lontra canadensis, Schreber 1777) (Carnivora:
Mustelidae; Lutrinae), is a relatively large, semi-aquatic mustelid that occupies a variety of
aquatic habitats throughout North America. In Pennsylvania, river otters were historically found
throughout the majority of the Commonwealth (Rhoads 1903). However, otter populations
declined statewide as a result of unregulated harvest, habitat degradation, development, tanning,
coal, oil, timber, and other industrial activities (Eveland 1978). By the 1950’s, otters were limited
mainly to the northeastern counties of the state, within the Pocono Mountains. Eveland (1978)
estimated that by 1978 there were between 285-465 otters remaining in Pennsylvania. The
majority (70%) of the remaining otters were found in Pike, Monroe, and Wayne counties. Otters
were granted protection by the Pennsylvania Game Commission as non-game species in 1952
(Serfass et al. 1999).
WRCP
WRCP-12455
| Funding Source Details | |
| Funding Source: | WRCP |
| Grant Number: | 12455 |
| Amount: | $18,000.00 |
Location Information
| Investigator Details | |
| Name: | Larry Laubach |
| Street Address 1: | |
| Street Address 2: | |
| City/State/Zip: | |
| Phone: | |
| llaubach@esu.edu | |
| Investigator Details | |
| Name: | Nikolai Kolba |
| Street Address 1: | |
| Street Address 2: | |
| City/State/Zip: | |
| Phone: | |
| NIKOLAI.KOLBA@ARS.USDA.GOV | |
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