Surveying Otter Lutra Lutra Distribution at the Southern Limit of Its Italian Range

In the last 20 years the otter Lutra lutra has expanded its range in the south-ern part of the Italian peninsula. Populations at the border of otter range suffer a high risk of extinction and need frequent monitoring. Here we report about a survey carried out by the standard method in the central Calabria region (Sila Massif and surroundings), which cur-rently represents the southern limit of otter distribution. Otter presence has been recorded for 7 out of 31 sites (22.6%), all belonging to the catchment of the River Savuto. A previ-ous record for the River Neto has not been confirmed. A total of 22 spraints has been col-lected and analysed. Salmonids (Salmo trutta) formed the bulk of otter diet (Vm % = 52.1). Damming and over-fishing could represent the main obstacles to the recolonisation of the area by otters. Habitat management should be addressed to reinforce the existing population and favour its connection to the core of otter range.