Discussion on the Secretive Mammals: River Otters | Oakland

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Exploring Nature in the San Francisco Bay Area: Lecture Series | SF

The SF Natural History Series lecture series explores all aspects of nature in the Bay Area, and seeks to understand our impact both past and present on those natural systems, and their impact on us.

Talks take place at different venues around the city and are sometimes scheduled with little notice, so check their blog to stay tuned to the latest updates. The lectures are free, but an RSVP is typically requested.

Thursday, November 19, 2015
Exploring Nature in the San Francisco Bay Area: Lecture Series | SF

Join them as they discuss what they know, what needs to be discovered, and just how they manage to research elusive, secretive mammals who slide into the water and disappear when approached.

They will show slides and videos from their “otter-cams,” and discuss the project and the role that citizen science plays in this otterly exciting work.

Guest Speaker: Robyn Aston, River Otter Ecology Project

River otters are charismatic carnivores, and make wonderful ambassadors for river and wetland restoration and conservation efforts. Once extirpated in the SF Bay Area, little is known about their current population, range, and seasonal eating habits.

The River Otter Ecology Project has taken on the challenge of discovering and documenting their ecological niche, with the goal of informing land use decisions and preserving habitat for these lively aquatic mammals.

About the speaker:
Robyn Aston, interested in otters from an early age, has a degree in Biology, and is currently a volunteer with ROEP. Along with many of the world’s leading “otter-ologists,” he, and ROEP Director Megan Isadore, are members of the IUCN’s Otter Specialist Group.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.