{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]],"date-time":"2026-02-20T21:46:42Z","timestamp":1771624002520,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":63,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,11]],"date-time":"2024-06-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718064000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB\/CVT\/00772\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/CVT\/00772\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["LA\/P\/0059\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0059\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Conservation"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The post mortem exam is important in diagnosing and investigating wildlife diseases. It is even more important to monitor the population of species that are not easily observed in the wild, such as otters. Of the 13 otter species, 11 are endangered due to many factors, such as climate change, pollution, or urbanisation. The authors present a review of the patterns of mortality of free-ranging otters worldwide, aiming to improve the knowledge of otter mortality and the role of mortality studies in their conservation. The main cause of death in aquatic otters is vehicle collision; hence, sea otter deaths are associated with shark attacks and imprisonment in fishing gear. It is possible to conclude that humans and human activity play a significant role in the mortality of these animals. In the future, a more standardised analysis of otter carcasses is necessary to understand their threats and diseases and design significant measures to protect these species.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/conservation4020020","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,12]],"date-time":"2024-06-12T08:45:50Z","timestamp":1718181950000},"page":"307-318","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Biological and Conservation Aspects of Otter Mortality: A Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"4","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7940-3141","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreia","family":"Garc\u00eas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Exotic and Wildlife Service, Veterinary Hospital University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta dos Prados, 4500-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"CECAV, Centre for Animal Sciences and Veterinary Studies, Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science\u2014AL4AnimalS, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 4500-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6330-4560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel","family":"Pires","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CECAV, Centre for Animal Sciences and Veterinary Studies, Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science\u2014AL4AnimalS, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 4500-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.2307\/2404115","article-title":"Mortality of Otters (Lutra lutra) in Shetland","volume":"28","author":"Kruuk","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. 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