Giant Otter Research & Conservation

The rare and endangered Giant Otter is a top predator in freshwater ecosystems of the Guiana Shield and Amazonia. This makes the mammal an important indicator species for the health of fish populations, which are an important food source for both wildlife and humans, and possibly pollution.

Remaining Giant Otter populations are threatened by rapid development and the onset of commercial fishing in the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata River Basins where colonisation exposes large expanses of habitat to hunters and settlers. The use of gill nets and other commercial and non-traditional methods of fishing results in rapid fish stock declines.

Fish are the preferred diet of Giant Otters.

Fish resources in Guyana's Rupununi, Rewa, Essequibo, Siparuni and Burro-Burro Rivers are similarly under increased pressure as the Georgetown-Lethem road has opened up the rivers for fishermen, hunters and traders. The increasing pressures on fish will lead to conflicts with regional conservation of the Giant Otter, a major fish predator. In addition, increasing human disturbance through mining and fishing along rivers can affect the species' breeding behaviour. 

Despite their highly endangered status since the 1970's, Giant Otters have been largely unstudied, especially in Guyana.

Past Research

For all the reasons above, Iwokrama has made Giant Otter research a major priority for the past few years:

• An analysis of Giant Otter fish consumption in the North Rupunui Wetlands was completed in 2002 (Report): LINK> T:\For WWyatt\from Timothy\new and updated documents\Research\ Giant Otter Occupancy\Giant Otter Research - Fish Consumption

• Last year Iwokrama began a project which will compare the distribution of Giant Otters in areas with varying levels of mining.
• Baseline data was recently collected on the species' abundance and distribution along the Rupununi, Rewa, Essequibo, Siparuni and Burro-Burro Rivers, while conducting distribution surveys in 2002 (Map) LINK TO: T:\For WWyatt\from Timothy\new and updated documents\Research\ Giant Otter Occupancy.

Local Community Involvement

Recognizing the interconnection between people and Giant Otters, Iwokrama has worked extensively with local communities to involve them in research and conservation efforts. Residents have been trained in a population monitoring and survey methods so that population and distribution assessments can continue. Iwokrama has also worked with communities to create an increased level of awareness, promote a better understanding of this giant predator.

Distinctive creamy white throat patches aid in

tracking individual Giant Otters.

A particularly innovative approach to local community involvement has been Iwokrama's partnership with the Philadelphia Zoo on the Giant Otter Pen Pal Programme.  This has created intercontinental friendships between students from the Gateway School in New York and children in the North Rupununi.

New Research Project

A new project hopes to achieve even better understanding of the role of the the Giant Otter as an environmental indicator. By examining species population dynamics and habitat use before and after the implementation of Iwokrama's timber business, potential disturbances to the ecosystem can better be gauged. Thus will we be able to take effective measures if such activities are adversely impacting the environment.

Even environmentally friendly timber harvesting through reduced impact logging techniques will increase soil erosion, which in turn increases siltation levels in water systems. As a result, fish, a major food source for both humans and many animals, may be negatively impacted.

This project will build on current linkages with local indigenous communities to provide training opportunities for individuals and develop a better understanding of the interrelationships between people and other life within an ecosystem. Results will be then shared with the coastal population via the Guyana Zoological Park.

Methodology

A. Giant Otter Distribution Surveys & Population Censuses within the Iwokrama Forest

Assessments of species distribution and population will be carried out during the two dry seasons of the 14 month project. These will be used as the primary indicators for assessing the impact of timber operations on the forest ecosystem. Assessments will be performed according to the guidelines developed by Giant Otter Researchers (to which Iwokrama has contributed). It is hoped that the results will then be published as an International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Otter Specialist document on standardised methodologies to monitor Giant Otter populations.

B. Fish Community/Population Dynamics

We will collect physical and chemical water data, with emphasis on dissolved solutes, and dissolved oxygen to assess the effects of timber harvesting on soil erosion and related water siltation levels.

C. Resource Use Changes

Changes in fish availability for the people living communities will also be monitored. We will work with the Wildlife Clubs to continuously monitor the use of particular fish in their communities.