Presence of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra on the islands of Greece: a review

Abstract

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is fairly widespread across much of mainland Greece but is currently known to be present on very few of the Greek islands. We reviewed otter data for the islands of Greece, based on confirmed evidence from the literature, personal records and unpublished data (e.g. alive/dead animals, tracks, spraints). The presence of otters on Mediterranean islands is documented only for Greece with recent records for Corfu, Lefkada, Euboea and Samos and older records for Lesvos and Chios. As these islands are close to the mainland, gene flow may contribute to the persistence of their otter populations. Anthropogenic habitat changes are a major threat to otter survival, including severe transformation and disturbance of island habitats. Several small island wetlands suitable to otter presence need to be protected to support otters and enhance their conservation status.