Otters as ocean doctors: How a 40-year watch on Brazil's coasts reveals hidden threats to estuaries

• For 40 years, scientists have been monitoring the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) along the southern coast of Brazil. • A study published in Estuarine Management and Technologies reveals that these charismatic mammals are far more than just inhabitants of the coast; they are “living sensors” providing information about ecosystem decay.

Article Summaries:

• For 40 years, scientists have been monitoring the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) along the southern coast of Brazil. A study published in Estuarine Management and Technologies reveals that these charismatic mammals are far more than just inhabitants of the coast; they are “living sensors” providing information about ecosystem decay.

Sources:

• https://phys.org/news/2026-02-otters-ocean-doctors-year-brazil.html