Giant otters: using knowledge of life history for conservation

A 16-year study of giant otters in the oxbow lakes of Manu National Park, Peru, reveals critical insights into their social dynamics and reproductive success. Giant otter group size and composition are strongly linked to territory size, while reproductive success is heavily influenced by habitat quality. These findings highlight the vulnerability of this endangered species to human-wildlife conflict, tourism, and environmental pressures such as mining, logging, and agriculture in southeastern Peru. The study underscores the urgent need for a conservation corridor along the Madre de Dios River to protect giant otter habitats and mitigate these threats.

Groenendijk, J., Hajek, F., Johnson, P. J., & Macdonald, D. W. (2018). Giant otters: using knowledge of life history for conservation. In (Editor), Oxford Scholarship Online. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198759805.003.0022