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Ecology Of River Otters (Lutra Canadensis) In Marine Coastal Environments Item Type Thesis Authors Home, William Scott Download date 29/09/2021 16:40:53 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/8407 INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this document, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help clarify markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or “target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)”. If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure complete continuity. 2. 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These prints are available upon request from the Dissertations Customer Services Department. 5. Some pages in any document may have indistinct print. In all cases the best available copy has been filmed. University M iad n lm s International 300 N. Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1323063 HOME, WILLIAM SCOTT ECOLOGY OF RIVER OTTERS (LUTRA CANADENSIS) IN MARINE COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA M .S . 1982 University Microfilms International300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 . Copyright 1984 by HOME, WILLIAM SCOTT All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 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Other_________________________________________________________________ University Microfilms International Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ECOLOGY OF RIVER OTTERS (Lutra canadensis) IN MARINE COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of the University of Alaska in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE by William Scott Home, B. A. Fairbanks, Alaska December, 1982 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ECOLOGY OF RIVER OTTERS (Lutra canadensis) IN MARINE COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS RECOMMENDED: Chairman, Advisory Colmnittee APPROVED: Vice-Chancellor for Research and Advanced Study ADate Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © 1984 WILLIAM SCOTT HOME All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Otters or otter-like mammals arose several times from several sources in the evolution of the Carnivora. The probable steps in their adaptation to quatic environments can be traced with examples from the living Mustelidae. Most of the lutrine forms were associated with freshwater habitats, but some of them inhabited the maritime zone, as well. The seals (Phocidae) appear to have arisen from such a form. Other lutromorphic carnivores may have invaded the sea directly, withou previous aquatic adaptation in fresh water. The physical characters of Recent maritime mustelids were compared with those of related forms in inland habitats. The maritime forms tended to be largest and to have paler, coarser pelage than the others, but those were not consistent differences. Feeding and social behaviors were compared in a study of several groups of otters (Lutra canadensis) in lacustrine, marine, and intermediate habitats in southeastern Alaska. Those in the marine habitats were distinguished by much closer intrafamilial relations and more conservative use of space than for the other groups. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract i n Acknowledgments I. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Purpose and Circumstances of This Study 1 A. Statement of Purpose 1 B . Methods 4 C. Definitions 11 1.2. The Evolution of Maritime Fissipeds and Mustelids 15 A. Early Marine Lutromorphs 15 B. Potamotherium and Its Legacy 25 C. Lutra and the Lutrinae 38 D. Lutromorphic Mustelines 51 E . Summary 57 1.3. Otters in Maritime Habitats: Review of World Literature 62 1.4. The Special Character of Pelage in Maritime Mustelids 82 II. HABITAT TYPES AND POD RANGES IN THE GLACIER BAY RESERVE 88 11.1. Habitat Types of the Study Areas 88 A. Methods 88 B. General 88 C. Biochronological Zones 113 11.2. The Character of Individual Pod Ranges 121 A. The Question of Territoriality 121 B. Dixon Harbour/Thistle Cove, and the Thistle Pod 125 C. Boussole Bay and the Boussole Pod 134 D. Bartlett Cove and the Barco Pod 142 E. Goose Cove and the Goose Pod 144 F. Features of Pod Ranges 152 r> • t_> luiuum-^vt* 1 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. III. LUTRINE GASTRONOMY AND NUTRITION 165 111.1. Choice of Prey 165 A. Methods 165 B. Literature 165 C. Comparison with Glacier Bay Studies 181 D. Mollusca 183 E. Crustacea (Malacostraca) 187 F. Echinodermata 195 G. Vertebrata 197 H. Foods Available, and Disdained 208 I. Discussion 209 111.2. Hunting and Fishing Techniques 213 A. Musselling 213 B. Shrimping 214 C. Crabbing 216 D. Urchining 218 E. Fishing 219 F. Ornithivory 221 G. Mammal-hunting 222 H. Scavenging 224 111.3. Eating Activity Sites and Scatology 225 A. Incidental, or Random, Feeding Sites 225 B. Middens 226 C. Altars 227 D. Expanded Surface Sites 229 E. Discussion 232 F. Scatology 234 111.4. Nutritional Observations 237 A. General 237 B. Pink Shrimp 239 C. King Crabs 241 D. Dolly Vardens 242 IV. DAILY ACTIVITIES AND INTERACTIONS 244 IV. 1. Character of Daily Activities 244 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. IV.2. Intraspecific Interactions 253 A. Pod Structure 253 B. Reproductive Season 255 C. Litter Sizes 258 D. Population Turnover 260 E. Whole-Pod Interactions 262 F. Adult-Adult Interactions 268 G. Adult-Kit Interactions 270 H. Kit-Kit Interactions 272 IV.3. Vocalisations 273 A. The Aerial Acoustic Environment 273 B. Aerial Sounds 275 C. The Submarine Acoustic Environment 277 D. Submarine Otter Vocalisations 279 IV.4. Substrate-Specific Interactions 282 A. Tree-Scrambling 282 B. Cliff-Climbing 282 C. Ice and Snow Interactions 284 IV.5. Swimming and Diving 285 A. Swimming Habits 285 B. Swimming Distances 286 C. Dive Types 288 D. Dive Depths 289 E. Dive Durations 289 V. INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS 294 V.l. Predation on Otters 294 VI. SUMMARY 298 BIBLIOGRAPHY 308 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. FIGURES 1 Investigator's total itinerary, winter study, 1973-1975 8 2 Phylogenetic chart of lutromorphs and lutrines 20-21 3 Humeri of unnamed fossils from the Pliocene 26-27 4 Distribution of Potamotherium valletoni 29 5 Map of Glacier Bay, indicating study sites 91 6 Map of Bartlett Cove, Glacier Bay 95 7 Map of Upper Muir Inlet, Glacier Bay 97 8 Map of Dixon Harbour/Thistle Cove, Glacier Bay 119 9 Map of Boussole Bay/Astrolabe Bay, Glacier Bay 120 vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright