Lutra maculicollis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CARNIVORA	MUSTELIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lutra maculicollis

Species Authority:

Lichtenstein, 1835

Common Name/s:

English	–	Spotted-necked Otter, Speckle-throated Otter, Spot-necked Otter
French	–	Loutre À Cou Tacheté
Spanish	–	Nutria De Cuello Manchado

Taxonomic Notes:

This species has sometimes been included in the genus Hydrictis (e.g., Davis 1978; Wozencraft 2005), but is here retained in the genus Lutra following, among others, d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe (in press).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Hoffmann, M.

Evaluator/s:

Hussain, S.A. (Otter Red List Authority) and Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern as the species is widespread, and although the population is believed to be declining across the range, the rate of decline is not believed to be sufficient to warrant listing in a threatened category.

History:

2004	–	Least Concern
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Spotted-necked Otter ranges from Guinea Bissau, the most westerly recorded range limit (Reuther et al. 2003), eastwards to south-west Ethiopia, and then southwards, in the west, to the northern border of Namibia, north-west Botswana and north-west Zimbabwe, and in the east, through west Kenya and Tanzania, Malawi, part of Mozambique, to eastern South Africa (Rowe-Rowe and Somers 1998; d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe in press). They are absent from Swaziland, and apparently locally extinct in Burundi, Ghana, Togo, and Lesotho (although they may never have occurred in this country) (d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe in press). The distribution of the species in West Africa, and possible presence on Bioko Island, is discussed by d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe (in press).
Countries:	Native: Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe Possibly extinct: Burundi; Ghana; Lesotho; Togo
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Abundance and density appear to be dependent on the availability of fish; consequently, this species is common or fairly common in the fish-rich central African lakes, but generally uncommon or rare in the rest of Africa where fish faunas tend to be poor (Rowe-Rowe 1990, 1995; d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe in press). In an area that included a highland stream and man-made lakes in South Africa, Perrin et al. (2000) estimated 1 otter/1-2 km of stream, while in less suitable habitat Rowe-Rowe (1992) estimated 1 otter/6-11 km.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

Abundance and density appear to be dependent on the availability of fish; consequently, this species is common or fairly common in the fish-rich central African lakes, but generally uncommon or rare in the rest of Africa where fish faunas tend to be poor (Rowe-Rowe 1990, 1995; d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe in press). In an area that included a highland stream and man-made lakes in South Africa, Perrin et al. (2000) estimated 1 otter/1-2 km of stream, while in less suitable habitat Rowe-Rowe (1992) estimated 1 otter/6-11 km.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The Spotted-necked Otter inhabits freshwater habitats where water is unsilted, unpolluted, and rich in small fishes (d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe in press). While common in the great lakes of central and East Africa, they are also found in streams, rivers and impoundments up to altitudes of 2,500 m (Yalden et al. 1996). Adequate riparian vegetation in the form of long grass, reeds, or bushes is essential to provide cover during periods of inactivity. Unlike African Clawless Otter, they do not occur in marine or estuarine waters.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

The Spotted-necked Otter inhabits freshwater habitats where water is unsilted, unpolluted, and rich in small fishes (d'Inzillo Carranza and Rowe-Rowe in press). While common in the great lakes of central and East Africa, they are also found in streams, rivers and impoundments up to altitudes of 2,500 m (Yalden et al. 1996). Adequate riparian vegetation in the form of long grass, reeds, or bushes is essential to provide cover during periods of inactivity. Unlike African Clawless Otter, they do not occur in marine or estuarine waters.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The Spotted-necked Otter is decreasing throughout its range, mainly as a result of the alteration or degradation of freshwater habitats and riparian vegetation, exacerbated by the loss of habitat as a consequence of increased agricultural activity (Rowe-Rowe 1990, 1992, 1995). Bioaccumulation of organochlorines and other biocontaminants has been recorded in Spotted-necked Otters (Mason and Rowe-Rowe 1992). Otters are also killed for food or skins, as a perceived threat to poultry, or as a competitor for fish (Rowe-Rowe 1990). Occasionally, they are accidentally caught and drowned in gill nets and fish traps (Stuart 1985; Rowe-Rowe 1990). Introduction of alien fish species that out-compete the smaller indigenous fish was identified as a main threat for the Lake Victoria population (Kruuk and Goudswaard 1990).

Major Threat(s):

The Spotted-necked Otter is decreasing throughout its range, mainly as a result of the alteration or degradation of freshwater habitats and riparian vegetation, exacerbated by the loss of habitat as a consequence of increased agricultural activity (Rowe-Rowe 1990, 1992, 1995). Bioaccumulation of organochlorines and other biocontaminants has been recorded in Spotted-necked Otters (Mason and Rowe-Rowe 1992).

Otters are also killed for food or skins, as a perceived threat to poultry, or as a competitor for fish (Rowe-Rowe 1990). Occasionally, they are accidentally caught and drowned in gill nets and fish traps (Stuart 1985; Rowe-Rowe 1990). Introduction of alien fish species that out-compete the smaller indigenous fish was identified as a main threat for the Lake Victoria population (Kruuk and Goudswaard 1990).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The Spotted-necked Otter is present in a number of protected areas across its range.

Conservation Actions:

The Spotted-necked Otter is present in a number of protected areas across its range.

Citation:	Hoffmann, M. 2008. Lutra maculicollis. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 November 2009.
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