The Giant Otters of the Pripris

Since last year, Palmyre Conservation has been supporting the work of the Association SEPANGUY who seeks to better understand the giant otter population of the Pripris, a large wetland located in northwestern French Guiana.

This remarkable site, made up of diverse environments including mangroves, mudflats, savannahs and small patches of floodable forests, is an ideal natural habitat for numerous species among which the iconic giant otter.

Unfortunately, it faces many threats including the presence of waste and the pollution of the watershed’s waters, the progressive closing of open water areas due to the proliferation of certain aquatic plants or that of savannahs invaded by exotic tree species. This situation impacts the local fauna by limiting the extent and quality of its home range. The ecological monitoring carried out in the 1,600-ha area co-managed by the SEPANGUY, the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Commune of Sinnamary therefore helps to understand the interactions between the different animal and plant species and assess the impact of human activities on the entire ecosystem.

Thanks to the installation of camera traps financed by Palmyre Conservation, the SEPANGUY has started a study aiming at delimiting the giant otters’ home range within the Pripris and better understanding the habits, behaviors and movements of this protected species. The camera traps were set up in places known to be visited by the otters as well as in new locations to identify other areas of interest.

Up to now 24 individuals have been identified, half of which being regularly observed in the marshes. The animals are divided in two distinct groups who recorded successful breeding on several occasions.

The videos below were captured by the camera traps and show a family of giant otters marking and resting on a sandy area located near a strech of water. An exclusive glimpse into the life of giant otters in the Pripris!