Factors Influencing Neotropical River Otter Habitat Use in Central Chihuahua, Mexico

Research regarding the habitat use of the neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis) is lacking. I assessed habitat use by the species in the San Pedro River of northern México using presence/absence (i.e., detection/non‐detection) data from 21 used and 25 randomly‐selected unused sites. The best fitting logistic regression models and principal component ordination reveal that river otters prefer habitat patches dominated by large, deep pools with nearby talus/rock cover and densely vegetated riverbanks. I mention the importance of understanding habitat use patterns for river otter ecology and conservation and the usefulness of presence/absence data in population ecology and conservation planning research.