Using protected areas as a long-term research platform to achieve an integrated socioecological understanding and conservation of endangered species: the case of southern river otter in Tierra del Fuego National Park

ALEJANDRO E.J. VALENZUELA; MARIANO MALIZIA; LAURA MALMIERCA; GUILLERMINA MASSACESI; EMILCE GALLO; DARÍO G. ROCHA; MERAV BEN-DAVID; CHRISTOPHER B. ANDERSON

Baltimore

Congreso; 2015 ESA Annual Meeting; 2015

Traditional objectives of protected areas include biodiversity conservation, scientific research, andenvironmental education and outreach. However, to conserve a species, it is not only necessary to preserve itsphysical habitat, but also generate knowledge and promote social engagement. The southern river otter(Lontra provocax) is the largest native mustelid in Patagonia and has the most restricted distribution of anySouth American otter, being very sensitive to hunting, human settlements, water contamination and habitatdegradation. In Argentina, this endangered species is only found in two disjunct areas. The southern populationoccupies mainly the forested portion of marine coasts along the Beagle Channel, including Tierra del FuegoNational Park (TFNP). To evaluate the ecological and social effectiveness of TFNP in conserving this species, weused an inter-disciplinary assessment of its: 1) Distribution: searching for otter signs along the Beagle Channel(2005-2009); 2) Population: monitoring abundance and habitat use in TFNP (1994-present), and registeringreproductive behavior using camera traps (2013-2014); 3) Scientific research: reviewing indexed literature ofthis otter species that was related to TFNP (1996-present); and 4) Media representation: evaluating the region?smain newspapers to determine the species appears and relationship to TFNP (2010-2015).Although otter signs have been found outside of TFNP, these sightings were occasional, leaving the protectedarea as the only sector with continued presence of the species. The park?s otter population has remained stablefrom 1994; during 2014 a female with one pup was recorded, confirming the use of TFNP as a reproductive area.When: August 09 - 14, 2015Where: Baltimore, MDAll published scientific research about otters in Tierra del Fuego since 1996 have been related to TFNP. All butone media article during the last five years were generated by the park. As such, this protected area constitutesa ?socio-ecological refuge? for this endangered species; it has conserved the habitat for a stable, reproductivepopulation, but also it provided a platform for scientific research and outreach that brought this species into abroader social context. However, TFNP faces challenges in raising awareness about this elusive species. There isreason to question whether outreach efforts to date have been effective, and new studies are being developedto determine the broader social representations of the species held by TFNP stakeholders: local visitors, touristsand personnel. Such information is expected to be useful to generate strategies to obtain broader publicinvolvement and comprehensive conservation of the southern river otter.