The European Breeding Program (EEP) for Lutra lutra: its chances and problems

Published source details Vogt P. (1995) The European Breeding Program (EEP) for Lutra lutra: its chances and problems. Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy (English, 1994-), 7, 247-253.
Share Tweet Email

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Breed mammals in captivity Action Link

Breed mammals in captivity

A review of a captive breeding programme in 1978-1992 across Europe (Vogt 1995) reported that the number of institutions successfully breeding European otters Lutra lutra, the number of otters born in captivity and that survived tended to increase over 15 years. These results were not tested for statistical significance. The number of institutions keeping otters remained fairly stable (23-32) from 1978 to 1989, whilst the number of captive animals born and surviving tended to increase from 1978-1983 (born: 0-20; survived: 0-18) to 1984-1989 (born: 18-46; survived: 12-38). Authors reported that until 1990, breeding was only successful in about 10 collections, but that in 1991-1992, when the number of institutions participating in the programme increased to 55, the number that successfully bred otters almost doubled. In 1992 the total captive population was 196 individuals, of which 67% was captive born, and 43 out of 50 cubs survived. In 1990, 36 otter keeping institutions (60% of those co-operating with the studbook) and in 1992 fifty five (91% included in the studbook) took part in the European breeding program for self-sustaining captive populations of otters. These institutions provided information about their captive breeding populations from 1978-1992.

(Summarised by: Rebecca Smith)