Behaviour and Ecology of Riparian Mammals

About this book

The first book to provide an overview of freshwater amphibious mammals. It examines a range of species (otters, mink, watershrews, hippopotami, etc) and looks at their habitat utilisation, adaptation, feeding ecology and conservation status.
All of these animals are highly adapted to this semi-aquatic way of life, and increasing pollution, and the use of rivers and streams and their banks by humans for a range of purposes has a profound effects on the habitat's continued suitability for their inhabitants. How the riparian mammals may overcome these challenges is also addressed.

Contents include:- Adaptations to the semi-aquatic habit and habitat; Physiological challenges in semi-aquatic mammals swimming against the energetic tide; Diving capacity and foraging behaviour of the water shrew; Habitat use by water shrews, the smallest of the amphibious mammals; The importance of the riparian environment as a habitat for British bats; A preliminary study of the behaviour of the European mink in Spain by means of radiotracking; The demography of European otters; Habitat use and conservation of otters in Britain: a review; The relationship between riverbank habitat and prey availability and the distribution of otter signs: an analysis using a geographical information system; Influence of attitude on the distrubution, abundance and ecology of the otter; Diets of semi-aquatic carnivores in northern Belarus, with implications for population changes; Otter prey selection in relation to fish abundance and community structure in two different freshwater habitats; Diet, foraging behaviour and coexistence of African otters and the water mongoose; Feeding ecology of the smooth-coated otter in the National Chambal Sanctuary, India; Population trends of hippopotami in the rivers of the Kruger National Park, South Africa; Reproductive strategies of female capybaras: dry-season gestation; The continuing decline of the European mink: evidence for the intraguild aggression hypothesis; Otters and population in Spain; The rapid impact of resident American mink on water voles: case studies in lowland England; Status, habitat use and conservation of giant otter in Peru.

Originally published in 1998.

Contents

List of contributors; Preface; 1. Adaptations to the semi-aquatic habit and habitat N. Dunstone; 2. Physiological challenges in semi-aquatic mammals: swimming against the energetic tide T. M. Williams; 3. Diving capacity and foraging behaviour of the water shrew (Neomys fodiens) P. Vogel, C. Bodmer, M. Spreng and J. Aeschimann; 4. Habitat use by water shrews, the smallest of amphibious mammals S. Churchfield; 5. The importance of the riparian environment as a habitat for British bats P. A. Racey; 6. A preliminary study of the behaviour of the European mink Mustela lutreola in Spain, by means of radiotracking S. Palazon and J. Ruiz-Olmo; 7. The demography of European otters Lutra lutra M. L. Gorman, H. Kruuk, C. Jones, G. McLaren and J. W. H. Conroy; 8. Habitat use and conservation of otters (Lutra lutra) in Britain: a review H. Kruuk, D. N. Carss, J. W. H. Conroy and M. J. Gaywood; 9. The relationship between riverbank habitat and prey availability and the distribution of otter (Lutra lutra) signs: an analysis using a geographical information system T. J. Thom, C. J. Thomas, N. Dunstone and P. R. Evans; 10. Influence of altitude on the distribution, abundance and ecology of the otter (Lutra lutra) J. Ruiz-Olmo; 11. Diets of semi-aquatic carnivores in northern Belarus, with implications for population changes V. Sidorovich, H. Kruuk, D. W. Macdonald and T. Maran; 12. Otter (Lutra lutra) prey selection in relation to fish abundance and community structure in two different freshwater habitats D. N. Carss, K. C. Nelson, P. J. Bacon and H. Kruuk; 13. Diet, foraging behaviour and coexistence of African otters and the water mongoose D. T. Rowe-Rowe and M. J. Somers; 14. Feeding ecology of the smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata in the National Chambal Sanctuary, India S. A. Hussain and B. C. Choudhury; 15. Population trends of hippopotami in the rivers of the Kruger National Park, South Africa P. C. Viljoen and H. C. Biggs; 16. Reproductive strategies of female capybaras: dry-season gestation E. A. Herrera; 17. The continuing decline of the European mink Mustela lutreola: evidence for the intraguild aggression hypothesis T. Maran, D. W. Macdonald, H. Kruuk, V. Sidorovich and V. V. Rozhnov; 18. Otters and pollution in Spain J. Ruiz-Olmo, J. M. Lopez-Martin and M. Delibes; 19. The rapid impact of resident American mink on water voles: case studies in lowland England C. Strachan, D. J. Jeffries, G. R. Barreto, D. W. Macdonald and R. Strachan; 20. Status, habitat use and conservation of giant otter in Peru C. Schenck and E. Staib; Index.

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