Food and status of the Cape clawless otter 'Aonyx Capensis Schinz' in the Tsitsikama Coastal National Park

Abstract

Food of the Cape clawless otter was estimated from faeces analysis. This was compared with apparent availability estimated from selected sampling in the littoral zone. An apparent selection of red rock crabs, octopuses and sucker fish, in that order of importance, occurred, while the most common intertidal fishes, the Clinidae, were strongly selected against. The abovementioned three positively selected species, together with brown rock crabs, caught mainly in the Littorina zone, made up about BrY/o of the diet of otters. Seasonal variation in importance was limited. Mainly larger individuals of the principal prey species were taken. Holts were counted along the whole coast of the National Park, and activity at some of them was analysed. Together with other data, this led to an estimate of population size of about one otter per 2 km of coastline. This density was ascribed to an ample supply of food, fresh water and shelter.