Corso, GilbertoSousa, Rafael Turíbio Moraes de2022-02-042022-02-042021-09-23SOUSA, Rafael Turíbio Moraes de. Situação da Lontra longicaudis no Rio Grande do Norte: habitat e estratégias para conservação na Mata Atlântica nordestina do Brasil. 2021. 91f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Ciências Biológicas) - Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2021.https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/45821The Otter longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) is a carnivorous mammal representing the Mustelidae family and the Lutrinae subfamily with interdigital membranes on the toes that allow an excellent adaptation to the semiaquatic lifestyle. It is a skittish animal and difficult to see, due to its nocturnal and twilight habits, mainly in the Northeast of Brazil. One of the ways to study the species' habitat is through indirect observation, along with traces such as carcasses, tracks, latrines, anal mucus and feces. There are several species of mustelids that interact with fishing populations throughout the world, causing conflicts between humans and animals, however there are few studies that address this issue in Brazil. Although the distribution of the species is considered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as "Insufficient Data", recent studies describe that the species is classified as "Near Threatened" in Northeastern Brazil and "Vulnerable" in the Atlantic Forest domain due to the high level of habitat degradation, specifically the deforestation of river banks, by overfishing, fish farming and shrimp farming. Aiming at the description of the habitat of the Lontra longicaudis in Rio Grande do Norte, a broad photographic record of the habitat of L. longicaudis, with emphasis on the latrines, burrows, places of passage of individuals and typical feeding places. Later, aiming to minimize the conflict between otters and fishermen in the riverside region of the State, we proposed a solution to improve the fishing gear (pits) of fishermen destroyed by otters. For this purpose, cycles of non-systematic interviews (ICMBio authorization nº 32910) were carried out in five fishing communities in the Bonfim-Guaraíras Environmental Protection Area, between the years 2018 and 2019, which still fish for shrimp from the Macrobrachium sp. (Order: Decapoda; Family: Palaemonidae) using artisanal pots made with material from local vegetation. The main concern pointed out was the interest of L. longicaudis in the holes used for fishing, which are periodically broken by the otter. So, a technique that uses PVC pipes to make the pots was presented and readily accepted by the riverside population of APA BonfimGuarairas/RN, which promptly achieved success for artisanal fishing and generated subsidies for the conservation of L. longicaudis. Among the ideas developed and discussed with the riverside population, a series of public measures is needed, in particular: improving the current legislation; greater investment in education and environmental protection program; improved control of pollution and deforestation. Finally, an Otter Strategies and Actions for the state of Rio Grande do Norte was designed to be an essential tool for guiding research, fomenting ecological data and efficient and balanced management of areas inhabited by the neotropical otter.Acesso AbertoLontra neotropicalHabitatConservaçãoPreservaçãoMata AtlânticaCovomasterThesis