[Awclist] Reintroduction of the river otter on the Rio Grande - Help Needed

[Sarah McMahon]

Members of the Adobe Whitewater Community, 

 

Otter Release on the Upper Rio Grande

Populations of a New Mexico native - river otters - once found in streams
and rivers throughout the state, are now growing through transplant and
release efforts. River otters were released in the Rio Pueblo De Taos on the
Taos Pueblo beginning in late 2008. The wild otters were trapped from the
State of Washington by the U.S. Department of Agriculture -Wildlife Services
and transported to New Mexico with assistance from the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM). The work is part of a larger otter reintroduction program
organized by Taos Pueblo, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the
BLM, the New Mexico Friends of River Otters, USDA Wildlife Services, and a
coalition of citizens, agencies, and conservation organizations dedicated to
restoring otters to the state. Populations of a New Mexico native - river
otters - once found in streams and rivers throughout the state, are now
growing with and are expected to continue with additional releases in the
Rio Pueblo De Taos area. 

 

Rio Grande paddlers can be a useful source of information regarding the
status of otter reintroduction since there is no funding for a thorough,
systematic monitoring program.  It's logical that there might be additional
information available from a group of folks who 1) spend a lot of time on
the river, 2) are familiar and interested enough with the river's natural
resources to notice things and (unlike a surprising number of other folks)
are able to tell a otter from a swimming beaver fairly reliably, and 3) have
both the motivation and skill to be highly alert to their surroundings while
on the river.

 

Information that would ideally to be received for each observation would be:

.         General observation info: The observer and contact info, date and
time of observation, precise location (coordinates if available), how
travelling (generally paddling in this case)

.         Observation details-what and how many were seen (direct
observation of animals, signs such as tracks or latrines, etc.),
distinguishing features that made the observation clearly an otter and not a
beaver or muskrat, etc., whether it was in the river or out, if photos or
other physical evidence is available

.         Conditions during observation-high/low flows, weather, anything
else relevant

 

If you observe river otters, or signs of river otters on the Rio Grande
there are a couple of ways you can provide information and support this
effort. 

1)       Contact Jim Stuart (james.stuart at state.nm.us : 505-476-8107) at New
Mexico Game and Fish directly

2)       Send an email to Sarah McMahon at sarah.mcmahon at earthlink.net

 

Your support in this effort is invaluable and greatly appreciated by all.

 

 

Sarah McMahon

(505)362-4459 mobile

sarah.mcmahon at earthlink.net

sarah.mcmahon at pnm.com

 

 

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