Summary: Methods Of Capturing River Otters

Methods of Capturing River Otters
A literature review

Hunter Hollingsworth
Wildlife Biology 240: Fish and Wildlife Management Techniques
Fall 2012

Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………..Page 1
Contrast of methods……………………………………………………..Page 1
Technology aiding in safe trapping……………………………………...Page 3
Criticisms of traps………………………………………………………..Page 3
Overview…………………………………………………………………Page 4
Literature Cited…………………………………………………………..Page 5
Figures……………………………………………………………………Page 7
Tables……………………………………………………………………..Page 8

Methods of capturing river otters
INTRODUCTION
Most forms of wildlife are so elusive, so completely wild, and have so many places they
All Soft catch traps had chains, with five swivels, to prevent chains from binding when the otter thrashes and rolls. Traps were anchored with wooden steaks, and the surrounding area was cleared of debris to avoid the chain getting tangled. During periods of cold weather, chains were replaced with 11 gauge wire that acted as a slide to allow otters to exit the water. Season is important depending on area you are trapping. Young otters should be able to survive on their own; also temperatures should be above -5 degrees Celsius to avoid risk of freezing (Serfass et al.
The trap triggers were placed just under the surface of the water; the stationary side was stacked up against the bank, and concealed with grass. Baily traps were set completely under the water. Many traps were set on trails with sign of frequent otter activity, these sites did relatively well. Spill ways from beaver dams proved among the most productive locations. Sets at the tops of slides were much more successful than those placed at the bottom. Leg-hold traps were used after the study was well underway, they were smaller and easier to transport, they also caused less serious injuries to otter’s teeth. Baits and lures: Otter musk, used sparingly, is a good lure for otters. Beaver caster or beaver flesh is sometimes used when setting otter traps. Whole fish are also used as bait (Randall, Pepper 1993). A variety of restraining traps for live-capture of river otters have been evaluated in both Canada and the U.S., capture success with Hancock traps varied depending on season and setting technique (Northcott and Slade 1976). A modified Victor, number 11, double long spring modified spring trap was both practical, and efficient for live trapping otter in the Louisiana marsh. But they failed to capture any otters using the number 208 Tomahawk cage traps (Serfass et al