Project Information

Title: Responses of River Otters to Oil Contamination: A Controlled Study of Biological Stress Markers 99348

Project Year and Number: 1999: 99348

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2000: 00348-CLO, 1998: 98348

Principal Investigator (PI): Merav Ben-David (University of Wyoming)

Managing Agency: ADFG

Assisting Personnel: Terry Bowyer, Lawrence Duffy

Research Location: Prince William Sound, Seward

Restoration Category: Research

Injured Resources Addressed: River Otters

Abstract: This project will explore the effects of oil contamination on physiological and behavioral responses in river otters experimentally. Fifteen captive otters will be exposed to two levels of oil contamination under controlled conditions in captivity. Samples of blood, tissues, and feces will be collected for analysis of biomarkers and immunological examinations.


Proposal: Not Available

Reports:
Final Report: View (11,341 KB)

Publications from this Project: Ben-David, M.; Blundell, G. M., and Blake, J. E. Post-release survival of river otters: effects of exposure to crude oil and captivity. Journal of Wildlife Management. 2002; 66(4):1208-1223. Find it
Ben-David, M.; Bowyer, R. T., and Faro, J. B. Niche separation by mink and river otters: coexistence in a marine environment. Oikos. 1996; 75:41-48. Find it
Ben-David M.; Duffy, L. K., and Bowyer, R. T. Biomarker responses in river otters experimentally exposed to oil contamination. Journal of Wildlife Diseases . 2001; 37(3):489-508. Find it
Ben-David, M.; Kondratyuk, T.; Woodin, B. R.; Snyder, P. W., and Stegeman, J. J. Induction of cytochrome P450 1A1 expression in captive river otters fed Prudhoe Bay crude oil: evaluation by immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR. Biomarkers. 2001; 6(3):218-235. Find it