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Title: Biological impacts of translocated sea otters. Final report

Abstract

Sea otters are one of the wildlife species most sensitive to oil spills. If an oil spill occurred in the southern part of the sea otter range in California, otters would probably be captured and released in an uncontaminated area to the north. However, if the relocated otters returned to the capture area while oil was still present, they might be contaminated. The main objective of the contract was to learn more about the behavior and movement patterns of sea otters relocated along the central California coast. The authors captured 21 otters and instrumented them with Temple-tag radio transmitters. Using radiotelemetry, we were able to follow the movements of 19 of these otters (18 males and 1 female). They were captured in the southern part of the range near Shell Beach and released about 291 km to the north (as measured on the 5-fathom line) at Moss Landing. None of the 10 otters held in pens for 48 hours prior to release returned to the capture area during the 26 to 89-day monitoring period. Five of the nine otters not held in pens prior to release returned to the capture area 13 to 46 days after release.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis, MN (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6497235
Report Number(s):
PB-90-263328/XAB
CNN: DI-14-12-0001-30451
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; OIL SPILLS; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; OTTERS; BEHAVIOR; TRANSPORT; CALIFORNIA; COASTAL REGIONS; PROGRESS REPORT; RADIO EQUIPMENT; TELEMETRY; TIME DEPENDENCE; ANIMALS; COMMUNICATIONS; DATA TRANSMISSION; DOCUMENT TYPES; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT; FEDERAL REGION IX; MAMMALS; NORTH AMERICA; USA; VERTEBRATES; 020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects; 550100 - Behavioral Biology

Citation Formats

Ralls, K, Siniff, D B, Doroff, A, and Mercure, A. Biological impacts of translocated sea otters. Final report. United States: N. p., 1990. Web.
Ralls, K, Siniff, D B, Doroff, A, & Mercure, A. Biological impacts of translocated sea otters. Final report. United States.
Ralls, K, Siniff, D B, Doroff, A, and Mercure, A. 1990. "Biological impacts of translocated sea otters. Final report". United States.
@article{osti_6497235,
title = {Biological impacts of translocated sea otters. Final report},
author = {Ralls, K and Siniff, D B and Doroff, A and Mercure, A},
abstractNote = {Sea otters are one of the wildlife species most sensitive to oil spills. If an oil spill occurred in the southern part of the sea otter range in California, otters would probably be captured and released in an uncontaminated area to the north. However, if the relocated otters returned to the capture area while oil was still present, they might be contaminated. The main objective of the contract was to learn more about the behavior and movement patterns of sea otters relocated along the central California coast. The authors captured 21 otters and instrumented them with Temple-tag radio transmitters. Using radiotelemetry, we were able to follow the movements of 19 of these otters (18 males and 1 female). They were captured in the southern part of the range near Shell Beach and released about 291 km to the north (as measured on the 5-fathom line) at Moss Landing. None of the 10 otters held in pens for 48 hours prior to release returned to the capture area during the 26 to 89-day monitoring period. Five of the nine otters not held in pens prior to release returned to the capture area 13 to 46 days after release.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6497235}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 04 00:00:00 EDT 1990},
month = {Fri May 04 00:00:00 EDT 1990}
}

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