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

Phys.org

February 17, 2026

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.