Legal Framework and Its Application for the Conservation of the Marine Otter in Chile and Peru

This chapter describes the international agreements and the Chilean and Peruvian national rules and regulations developed to conserve the marine otter, Lontra felina. The change and greater precision in the regulations over time is shown, as the conservation status of the species and the increasing risk of its extinction became known. Relevant legal and administrative precedents are also presented in defense of this marine mammal, affected by anthropogenic pressures. The rulings and judicial resolutions are shown and discussed, and attention is drawn to the need to reformulate some regulations and work jointly with the authorities of the Judiciary and public institutions responsible or competent for the conservation of wildlife. We conclude that these actions set a precedent in the conservation and preservation of the marine otter through the tools of law, which are collected for knowledge and experience of future actions.