Marine Otter (Lontra felina, Molina 1782) Conservation in Chile

The marine otter or chungungo (Lontra felina) is one of the least known carnivore species in Chile, and the available information is scarce and dispersed in time. Few studies have been conducted in Chile before and after the revision of the Natural History of the species in 1998. Therefore, we re-examine the knowledge of the species with current evidence on the marine otter in Chile and the main threats described for its conservation. We observed an irregular pattern in its distribution associated with the size and distance of rocky patches on the coast along with human influence. Also, the southern limit of the distribution remains unclear, with scarce current evidence of the marine otter presence south of Chiloe Island. It has been observed that the marine otter modifies its diet according to the availability of prey, so this would be a limiting environmental variable for its population density and distribution. Threats to the conservation of the species have been identified related to the alteration of its habitat, including incidental mortality from fishing activities, persecution by domestic dogs, and the potential for disease transmission. There is a great need for studies focused on ecology and human dimensions of the marine otter, to carry out adequate conservation of the species.