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International Otter Survival Fund WORLD OTTER DAY
#WorldOtterDay
Wednesday 25 May 2022
CELEBRATE OTTERS - RAISE AWARENESS - EDUCATE - FUNDRAISE - PROTECT
It is never too early to start thinking about what you might do for World Otter Day 2022, so this is just a little nod in that direction.
Click over to our June e-newsletter to find out what happened last year, and get some inspiration. You can also find some resources HERE
On our own we can do so little, TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH!
Got an event happening? Then let us know and we can add you to our #WOD World Map - enquiries@otter.org
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Please support our #WordlOtterDay Raffle. A £5 donation secures your ticket number but remember, we need your name and email details to send this to you. Simply go to our JustGiving.com page here to find out more and take part.
Thank you.
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Check out our World Otter Day t-shirts on our Teespring store and get yours in time... JOIN US FOR OUR SECOND WORLD OTTER DAY 2022 WEBINAR
Last year’s event was a great success and we were joined by people from all over the world. It is important to showcase otters and the amazing work that is being done globally and the webinar gives us the chance to do this.
The webinar will take place on Wednesday 25th May (World Otter Day) and there will be two sessions with different speakers in each. The sessions will take place at the following times:
Morning Session - 09.00 - 11.30am (UK Time)
Evening Session - 17.00 - 19.30 (UK Time)
We are delighted to announce 10 new topics and speakers for this year’s event. Please note, presentation names may differ from the outlines below:
Morning:
* Dr Paul Yoxon – “Otter Spraint Surveys and Spraint Analysis - And Limitations”
* Dr Eleanor Kean - "Unexpected results from a nation-wide otter survey of Wales"
* Mohan Shrestha, Nepal - "Eurasian Otter in Nepal- Unveiling the presence after 3 decades"
* Frederick Kistner – " What you can learn by looking at otter footprints—An introduction to the Footprint Identification Technology (FIT) for Otters."
* Klaudja Koci/Bledi Hoxha - The status of otter in Albania and a case study in Prespa National Park
Evening:
* Adriana Belen Vallejos - "The distribution of Neotropical Otters and the climate crisis: A study case in northern Argentina"
* Ana Maria Montes Ferro– Giant otters and communities
* Javier Trivelli and Valentina Diaz Savaria - "Chungungo: Re-Ottering Chile"
* Dr. Nicola Okes – Otters in South Africa and the increased “urban” otters.
* Heather Barrett, Sea Otter Savvy - "Being Sea Otter Savvy"
The webinar will be free of charge so that as many people can attend but if you would like to make a donation to support otters please click here
IOSF World Otter Day Grants
Following a great response to this offer, we have had a challenging time working through the applications and have reached our decision.
Thank you to everyone for your interest.
Our 2022 World Otter Day Grants have been awarded to:
· Patrice Delagnon Assou, University of Lome, Togo
Aonyx capensis and Hydrictis maculicollis have been historically recorded in Togo, but the species are increasingly threatened by habitat degradation, loss and fragmentation and by unsustainable hunting across its geographic range. This project wants to highlight otters, build up the scientific and produce the first rigorous data on their distribution and conservation status in Togo. The World Otter Day Grant will help to organize an education programme at the Department of Zoology as a starting point for this work.
· Salami Olalekan Michael, Netlink Environmental Conservation Organization, Nigeria
A one day sensitisation programme is to be organised in the Ilaje coastal community with the theme “Otter Awareness Campaign and Conservation Education Programme”. Members of the Netlink Environmental Conservation Organisation and volunteers will bring this programme to raise awareness and increase stakeholder involvement and develop strategies and guidelines to improve the relationship between people and otters in this fishing community. Information on alternative livelihood initiatives such as ecotourism and aquaponics will also be presented.
· Md Arafat Rahaman , Bangladesh Biodiversity Conservation Federation, Bangladesh
Little is known about the status of the Smooth-coated otter which has been sighted in a newly discovered wetland habitat in the west of Bangladesh. This project wants to address the pressures on such an area regionally and nationally including government agencies, the Forest Department and local policy makers. It will raise awareness and educate people about the otters in their area and encourage coexistence.
· Miguel Angel Torres Maldonado, Okapia conservación A.C., Mexico
This project is following up on the concerns of the local community regarding the status of their river, which is also habitat for the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis). The otter will be used as ‘a flagship species’ to bring people together and learn of the ecological importance of the otter and become involved in the conservation project, starting with workshops and awareness talks.
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