We examined the spatial structure and sociobiology of a native wild population of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) on mesotrophic rivers in a mild temperate climate. Radio-tracking of 20 individuals revealed exclusive intra-sexual adult home-ranges. Adult female homeranges (7.5 km, SD=1.5 km, n=7) were inversely related to river width (R 2 adj ¼ 0:68, F 6 = 13.5, P=0.014) and so appeared to be based on food resources. The aquatic area within adult male home-ranges (30.2 ha, SD=9.5 ha, n=5) was greater than that within adult female's (16.8 ha, SD= 7.0 ha) (t 10 = 2.437, P= 0.035), though this result is inconclusive because some males were tracked on oligotrophic rivers. One adult male expanded its range from 10.2 km to 19.3 km within 5 days of the death of the neighbouring male, suggesting that male home-ranges were heavily influenced by conspecifics.
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