Behaviour of Otters in a Marine Coastal Habitat: Summary of a Work in Progress

Since 1983, the author has studied 67 wild otters (Lontra canadensis) in Trinidad Bay, California, USA. The observations were made at short range (<100 m), and individuals were identified using a combination of facial and physical characteristincs. In Trinidad Bay, the otters normally form two social groups: one maternal family and one "Clan" of males. The most noticeable pattern in this population's social organisation was that adult males and adult females led largely sexually-segregated lives. Since 1986, I have studied the behavioural ontogeny of otters, chronicling the development of 6 litters (22 pups) by one mother, 4 litters (9 pups) by that mother's daughters, and 5 litters (7 pups) by a granddaughter. Here, the author summarises observations to date.