%0 Journal Article
%T A Study on Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) in Amirkelayeh Wildlife Refuge and International Wetland in Guilan Province, Northern Iran
%A Ehsan Hadipour
%A Mahmud Karami
%A Asghar Abdoli
%A Riazi Borhan
%J IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
%D 2011
%I IUCN Otter Specialist Group
%X This is the first study on otters in the wetlands of Iran. We worked in Amirkelayeh Wildlife Refuge and International Wetland (Amirkelayeh W.R&I.W). In this investigation, we surveyed the quality of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) sign distribution as a species presence index on the coast of Amirkelayeh (W.R&I.W). During a nine month period of monthly surveys, 673 signs were identified of which the majority were spraints. The number of spraints during different months differed significantly (¦Ö2 =408.732, P<0.05). The results indicated a close negative correlation between frequency of fish and frequency of spraints (r = -1, P<0.01). Shorelines of the wetland showed significant differences in the mean value of spraint number (K=19.628, P<0.05). There were two hot spots with values greater than 66% ¡°Spraint Presence Intensity¡± (SPI) during the nine month period. The number of spraints and SPI were correlated significantly (r=0.793, P<0.01). In addition, significant differences among ¡°Types Of Sprainting Places¡± (¦Ö2=130.723, P<0.05) and also in ¡°Height of Sprainting places¡± (¦Ö2= 459.408, P< 0.05) were observed. More than 89% of spraints were within 200 cm of the nearest cover. Association between presences of spraints and canals (¦Ö2= 21.547, P<0.05 and ¦Ë=0.086), and also ¡°chars¡± (access routes through reed beds between land and open water) (¦Ö2= 63.691, P<0.05 and ¦Ë=0.210) were shown. ¡°Reed Bed Breadth¡± in places with and without spraints differed significantly (U=495, P<0.05).
%K Lutra lutra
%K seasonal sprainting differences
%K spraints distribution pattern
%U http://www.otterspecialistgroup.org/Bulletin/Volume28/Hadipour_et_al_2011.pdf