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Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
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- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
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- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
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- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
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- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Home // Conservation
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Project profile

Giant otters
Project profile

Giant otters

Study species: Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)

Project location: Peru’s Manu National Park and Madre de Dios river

Species fact: Giant otters are the largest otter species in the world. Adults can weigh up to 30 kilograms and reach a length of 6 feet.

Problem: Human activities, particularly small-scale gold mining, are causing the destruction of the aquatic habitats inhabited by giant otters and a decrease in the quantities of fish giant otters depend on.

Goal 1

Surveying protected and disturbed areas for otter presence and habitat destruction to examine the effects of gold mining on giant otter distribution and abundance.

Goal 2

Quantifying fish availability and mercury contamination to understand how human activities can affect giant otters.

Goal 3

Working with local communities to understand their perceptions towards giant otters and aquatic ecosystems and developing environmental education programs.

What your donation can achieve

£100

Could buy the team a GPS device to record all the giant otter locations; a cooking tent for field team’s campsite; a tablet for recording interview answers; or a solar panel for charging electronic devices.

£500

Could get the team a device that will examine water quality; 250 gallons of fuel for a month-long field trip; a satellite communication device; or a mobile freezer to store samples.

£1000

Could get the team a rubber boat to increase the number of lakes it can visit each day; a video camera to document giant otter behaviour; a generator to charge cameras and batteries; a drone to map lakes.