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91-650: Atlin is an anglicization of Áa Tlein , the Tlingit word for "big body of water". The area has been used by the Taku River Tlingit for many years as attested to by artifacts discovered at nearly 40 excavated archaeological sites in the area. The gold rush came to Atlin Lake country in 1898 and was one of the richest offshoots of the Klondike Gold Rush . By the end of the mining season of 1899 about 5000 people flocked to

182-416: A circumflex , and long low vowels are marked with a grave accent. Short low vowels are unmarked. Coastal Tlingit <áa> and <aa> are Inland <â> and <à> respectively. Coastal <éi> and <ei> are Inland <ê> and <è>, Coastal <ée> and <ee> are Inland <î> and <ì>, and Coastal <óo> and <oo> are Inland <û> and <ù>. Word onset

273-494: A "river otter", the North American river otter is found in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, both freshwater and coastal marine, including lakes, rivers, inland wetlands, coastal shorelines, marshes, and estuaries. It can tolerate a great range of temperature and elevations. Aquatic life ties North American river otters almost exclusively to permanent watersheds. Their main requirements are a steady food supply and easy access to

364-421: A body of water. However, it is sensitive to pollution, and will disappear from tainted areas. Like other otters, the North American river otter lives in a holt, or den, constructed in the burrows of other animals, or in natural hollows, such as under a log or in river banks. An entrance, which may be under water or above ground, leads to a nest chamber lined with leaves, grass, moss, bark, and hair. The diet of

455-426: A consequence of vision adapted for underwater sight . North American river otters have a transparent inner eyelid (called a nictitating membrane ) to protect their eyes while swimming. Most mustelids, including otters, have 36 specialized teeth, including sharp canines and carnassials that inflict lethal bites to prey. Also, North American river otters have large molars used for crushing hard objects, such as

546-804: A localized threat to otter populations, especially in coastal areas. Water pollution and other diminution of aquatic and wetland habitats may limit distribution and pose long-term threats if the enforcement of water quality standards is not upheld. Acid drainage from coal mines is a persistent water quality issue in some areas, as it eliminates otter prey. This dilemma prevents, and consequently inhibits, recolonization or growth of North American river otter populations. Recently, long-term genetic consequences of reintroduction projects on remnant North American river otter populations has been discussed. Similarly, many perceived threats to North American river otters, such as pollution and habitat alterations, have not been rigorously evaluated. Little effort has gone into assessing

637-552: A major dietary component. Mammals preyed upon by North American river otters are characteristically small or are a type species found in riparian zones . The few occurrences of mammals found in the North American river otter's diet include remains of the muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus ); meadow vole ( Microtus pennsylvanicus ); eastern cottontail ( Sylvilagus floridanus ); and snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus ). Records of North American otters preying upon North American beavers ( Castor canadensis ) vary; it has been reported in

728-567: A migration across the Bering Land Bridge , which existed off and on between 1.8 million and 10,000 years ago. The otters migrated to North America and southwards again across the Panamanian Land Bridge , which formed 3 Mya. Listed alphabetically: The North American river otter has long and thin whiskers that are used to detect prey in dark waters. An average adult male weighs about 11.3 kilograms (25 lb) against

819-620: A modern work postdating Naish and Story's work in the 1960s. North American river otter The North American river otter ( Lontra canadensis ), also known as the northern river otter and river otter , is a semiaquatic mammal that lives only on the North American continent throughout most of Canada , along the coasts of the United States and its inland waterways. An adult North American river otter can weigh between 5.0 and 14 kg (11.0 and 30.9 lb). The river otter

910-601: A river otter nicknamed Sutro Sam took up residence around the former site of the Sutro Baths in San Francisco , the first river otter sighting in that city since the 1950s. North American river otters occupy all Canadian provinces and territories, except, until recently, Prince Edward Island . Otters have recently began re-establishing themselves on Prince Edward Island. Historical records indicate North American river otters were once populous throughout most major drainages in

1001-933: A significant component of their diets. They are less likely to be prey for the North American river otters since they are fast-swimming and can find good escape cover. However, river otters will prey on trout, pike, walleye ( Sander vitreus vitreus ), salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.), and other game fish during spawning . Otters have been found to consume invasive Asian carp. Adult North American river otters are capable of consuming 1 to 1.5 kilograms (2.2 to 3.3 lb) of fish per day. A study conducted on captive otters revealed they preferred larger fish, ranging from 15 to 17 centimeters (5.9 to 6.7 in), more than smaller fish, ranging from 8 to 10 centimeters (3.1 to 3.9 in), and they had difficulty catching fish species less than 10 centimeters (3.9 in) or larger than 17 centimeters (6.7 in). Otters are known to take larger fish on land to eat, whereas smaller fish are consumed in

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1092-440: A study conducted in a central California marshland indicated crayfish formed nearly 100% of the river otter's diet at certain times of the year. However, North American river otters, as foragers, will immediately take advantage of other prey when readily obtainable. Other prey consumed by North American river otters includes fruits , aquatic plants , reptiles , amphibians , birds (most especially moulting ducks which render

1183-412: A variety of common names, including North American river otter, northern river otter, common otter and, simply, river otter. Other documented common names are American otter, Canada otter, Canadian otter, fish otter, land otter, nearctic river otter, and Prince of Wales otter. The North American river otter was first classified in the genus Lutra . Lutra was the early European name (from Latin), and

1274-463: Is murmured , essentially a rapid opening of the glottis once articulation is begun.) The tone values in two-tone dialects can be predicted in some cases from the three-tone values but not the reverse. Earlier, it was hypothesized that the three-tone dialects were older and that the two-tone dialects evolved from them. However, Jeff Leer 's discovery of the Tongass dialect in the late 1970s has shown that

1365-668: Is always consonantal in Tlingit and so words never begin with a vowel. Where a vowel would theoretically have occurred, such as by prefixing or compounding, the vowel is always followed by either [ʔ] or [j] . The former is universal in single words, and both are found in word-medial position in compounds. The orthography does not reflect the [ʔ] in word-initial position, but either . or y may be seen in medial position. For example: khu- INDH . OBJ - ÿu- PERF - ÿa- ( 0 , - D , +I)- t'áa hot khu- ÿu- ÿa- t'áa INDH .OBJ- PERF- {(0, -D, +I)}- hot "the weather

1456-442: Is because of the influence of English, which makes a similar distinction. For speakers who make the voiced/unvoiced distinction, the distribution is symmetrical with the unaspirated/aspirated distinction among other speakers. Maddieson , Smith, and Bessel (2001) note that all word final non-ejective stops are phonemically unaspirated. That contrasts with the orthography that typically represents them as aspirated stops: t [tʰ] for

1547-758: Is closely controlled. The North American river otter is considered a species of least concern according to the IUCN Red List , as it is not currently declining at a rate sufficient for a threat category. By the early 1900s, North American river otter populations had declined throughout large portions of their historic range in North America. However, improvements in water quality (through enactment of clean water regulations) and furbearer management techniques have permitted river otters to regain portions of their range in many areas. Reintroduction projects have been particularly valuable in restoring populations in many areas of

1638-434: Is common to later hear such speakers producing those forms themselves. It is uncertain whether this assimilation is autochthonous or if it arose from contact with English, but the former is more likely from a purely articulatory perspective. Young speakers and second-language learners are increasingly making a voiced/unvoiced distinction between consonants, rather than the traditional unaspirated/aspirated distinction. That

1729-404: Is divided into roughly five major dialects, all of which are essentially mutually intelligible: The various dialects of Tlingit can be classified roughly into two-tone and three-tone systems. Tongass Tlingit, however, has no tone but a four-way register contrast between short, long, glottalized, and "fading" vowels. (In the last type, the onset of the vowel is articulated normally but the release

1820-405: Is hot" Unknown glossing abbreviation(s) ( help ); But when the perfective prefix ÿu- is word-initial, the glottal stop appears to ensure that the word begins with a consonant. ∅- 3 . NEU . OBJ - ÿu- PERF - ÿa- ( 0 , - D , +I)- t'áa hot ∅- ÿu- ÿa- t'áa 3. NEU .OBJ- PERF- {(0, -D, +I)}- hot "it is hot" Unknown glossing abbreviation(s) ( help ); Until

1911-410: Is possible but has not been verified that aspirated and unaspirated stops are collapsed into a single phoneme word-finally. Maddieson and colleagues also confirm that the ejective fricatives in Tlingit are in fact true ejectives, despite the widely-held assumption that ejective fricatives are not actually phonetically ejective but are as a sequence of fricative and glottal stop. In Tlingit, at least,

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2002-425: Is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. The North American river otter, a member of the subfamily Lutrinae in the weasel family (Mustelidae), is equally versatile in the water and on land. It establishes a burrow close to the water's edge in river, lake, swamp, coastal shoreline, tidal flat, or estuary ecosystems. The den typically has many tunnel openings, one of which generally allows

2093-653: Is spoken by the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska and Western Canada and is a branch of the Na-Dene language family . Extensive effort is being put into revitalization programs in Southeast Alaska to revive and preserve the Tlingit language and culture. Missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church were the first to develop a written version of Tlingit by using the Cyrillic script to record and translate it when

2184-602: Is symmetric with an aspirated consonant Cʰ , and a glottalized vowel Vʔ is symmetric with an ejective (glottalized) consonant Cʼ . That implies that the two systems have no familial relationship. Leer (1978) speculated that the maintenance of the pretonal system in Tongass Tlingit was caused by the proximity of its speakers around the Cape Fox area near the mouth of the Portland Canal to speakers of Coastal Tsimshian, just to

2275-931: Is warranted prior to reintroduction of otters to a watershed. A North American river otter can have a territory as large as 78 square kilometres (30 sq mi). However, their usual territory is about 3 to 15 square miles (7.8 to 38.8 km ). This can change during mating seasons, but that topic is up for debate. Although North American river otters are known to be social animals, they can also survive by themselves. Their bodies allow them to avoid predators quite effectively since they can dive, burrow, twist, and turn their bodies for evasive techniques, enabling them to survive independently. North American river otters famously love to play together, which creates strong social bonds, improves hunting skills, and marks territory. North American river otters are not aggressively territorial, but frequently scent-mark certain spots to make their presence known. Delayed implantation distinguishes

2366-468: The American coot ( Fulica americana ). Although they consume birds, North American river otters do not feed on bird eggs. Aquatic invertebrates have been recognized as an integral part of the North American river otter's diet. Otters consume more aquatic insects in the summer as the populations increase and specific life stages heighten their susceptibility. Most aquatic invertebrates preyed upon by

2457-527: The Coast Tsimshian dialect . However, Krauss and Leer (1981, p. 165) point out that the fading vowels in Coastal Tsimshian are the surface realization of underlying sequences of vowel and glottalized sonorant, VʔC . That is in contradistinction to the glottal modifications in Tongass Tlingit, which Leer argues are symmetric with the modifications of the consonantal system. Thus, a fading vowel V̤

2548-570: The Midwestern United States . Since their reintroduction to Kentucky in the early 1990s, the otters have recovered to the point that a trapping season was implemented in 2006, and the species is now found in all of the state's major waterways. In 2010, the Colorado Department of Wildlife reported the river otter, reintroduced to the state in the 1980s, was "thriving" and recommended its protection status be reconsidered. In late 2012,

2639-623: The Miocene epoch 23.03 to 5.33 million years ago ( Mya ), which is "much earlier" than indicated in the fossil record. Fossils of a giant otter dating back 3.5 Mya (during the Pliocene ) have been found in the US Midwest; however, fossils of the modern river otter did not appear in North America until about 1.9 Mya. The New World river otters originated from the Old World river otters following

2730-838: The Pacific coast in North America. The species is also present throughout Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands , and the north slope of the Brooks Range . However, urbanization and pollution has resulted in a reduction in the otters' range in the United States. River otters are now absent or rare in Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee. Reintroduction projects have expanded their distribution in recent years, in West Virginia, and especially in

2821-583: The Russian Empire had contact with Alaska and the coast of North America down to Sonoma County, California . After the Alaska Purchase , English-speaking missionaries from the United States developed a written version of the language with the Latin alphabet . The history of Tlingit is poorly known, mostly because there is no written record until the first contact with Europeans around the 1790s. Documentation

Atlin/Áa Tlein Téix'i Provincial Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

2912-722: The Taku River and into northern British Columbia and the Yukon around Atlin Lake ( Áa Tleen "Big Lake") and Teslin Lake ( Desleen < Tas Tleen "Big Thread") lake districts, as well as a concentration around Bennett Lake at the end of the Chilkoot Trail ( Jilkhoot ). Otherwise, Tlingit is not found in Canada . Tlingit legend tells that groups of Tlingit once inhabited the Stikine , Nass , and Skeena river valleys during their migrations from

3003-450: The specific epithet canadensis means "of Canada". In a new classification, the species is called Lontra canadensis , where the genus Lontra includes all the New World river otters. Molecular biological techniques have been used to determine when the river otter and the giant otter ( Pteronura brasiliensis ) of South America diverged. These analyses suggest they diverged in

3094-1032: The Arctic region. Threats to North American river otter populations in North America vary regionally. North American river otter inhabitation is affected by type, distribution, and density of aquatic habitats and characteristics of human activities. Preceding the settlement of North America by Europeans, North American river otters were prevalent among aquatic habitats throughout most of the continent. Trapping, loss or degradation of aquatic habitats through filling of wetlands, and development of coal, oil, gas, tanning, timber, and other industries, resulted in local extinctions or population declines in North American river otter populations in many areas. In 1980, an examination conducted on U.S. river otter populations determined they were locally extinct in 11 states, and lost significant population in 9 other states. The most severe population declines occurred in interior regions where fewer aquatic habitats supported fewer otter populations. Although

3185-506: The Haida linguist John Enrico presented new arguments and reopened the debate. Victor Golla writes in his 2011 California Native Languages , "John Enrico, the contemporary linguist with the deepest knowledge of Haida, continues to believe that a real, if distant, genetic relationship connects Haida to Na-Dene[.]" The Tlingit language is distributed from near the mouth of the Copper River down

3276-502: The North American River otters is extensive and mostly consists of fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects and some small mammals. They are known to hunt in pairs or alone and can hunt on both land and in the water. “The North American river otter ( Lontra canadensis ) is a predator adapted to hunting in water, feeding on aquatic and semi-aquatic animals. The vulnerability and seasonal availability of prey animals primarily determines

3367-433: The North American river otter can be deduced by analyzing either stool obtained in the field, or gut contents removed from trapped otters. Fish are the primary component of the North American river otter's diet throughout the year. Every study done on the food habits of the North American river otter has identified varying fish species as being the primary component of its diet. For instance, an Alberta, Canada study involved

3458-765: The North American river otter during the spring and summer as a result of breeding activity, appropriate temperatures, and water supply for the prey. Waterfowl , rails , and some colonial nesting birds are preyed upon by North American river otters in various areas. Susceptibility of these species is greatest during the summer (when waterfowl broods are vulnerable) and autumn. The North American river otters have also been known to catch and consume moulting American wigeon ( Mareca americana ) and green-winged teal ( Anas crecca ). Other species of birds found within their diets include: northern pintail ( Anas carolinensis ); mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ); canvasback ( Aythya valisineria ); ruddy duck ( Oxyura jamaicensis ); and

3549-540: The North American river otter has adapted to hunting in water, and eats aquatic and semiaquatic animals. The vulnerability and seasonal availability of prey animals mainly governs its food habits and prey choices. This availability is influenced by the following factors: detectability and mobility of the prey, habitat availability for the various prey species, environmental factors, such as water depth and temperature, and seasonal changes in prey supply and distribution in correspondence with otter foraging habitat. The diet of

3640-625: The North American river otter's diet. A study conducted on North American river otters in a southwestern Arkansas swamp identified a correlation between crayfish consumption, fish consumption, and water levels. During the winter and spring, when the water levels were higher, North American river otters had a greater tendency to prey upon crayfish (73% of scats had crayfish remains) rather than fish. However, when water levels are lower, crayfish will seek out shelter while fish become more highly concentrated and susceptible to predation. Therefore, fish are more vulnerable to being preyed upon by otters because

3731-497: The North American river otters' diets are those that are often plentiful and found in large schools: sunfish ( Lepomis spp.); darters ( Etheostoma spp.); and perches ( Perca spp.). Bottom-dwelling species, which have the tendency to remain immobile until a predator is very close, are susceptible to North American river otters. These include Central mudminnows ( Umbra limi ) and sculpins ( Cottus spp.). Game fish, such as trout (Salmonidae) and pike (Esocidae), are not

Atlin/Áa Tlein Téix'i Provincial Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

3822-596: The Northern dialect, the dominant spoken dialect of Tlingit and the standard for written Tlingit, every vowel may take either high or low tone ; in the orthography high tone is indicated by an acute accent ( áa ) and low tone is unmarked ( aa ). The Southern and Transitional dialects have a mid tone which is unmarked and additional low tone which is marked by a grave accent ( àa ). The Inland Tlingit orthography does not use vowel digraphs. Instead, short high vowels are marked with an acute accent, long high vowels are marked with

3913-602: The Pacific Coast, including the seashore and inland streams and lakes. However, river otters were scarce or absent in areas of Southern California such as the chaparral and oak woodlands and Mojave Desert seasonal waterway regions, or in the xeric shrubland regions in New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, and Colorado. In Mexico, North American river otters lived in the Rio Grande and Colorado River Deltas . Although commonly called

4004-468: The Tongass vowel system is adequate to predict the tonal features of both the two-tone and three-tone dialects, but none of the tonal dialects could be used to predict vocalic feature distribution in Tongass Tlingit. Thus, Tongass Tlingit is the most conservative of the various dialects of Tlingit, preserving contrasts which have been lost in the other dialects. The fading and glottalized vowels in Tongass Tlingit have also been compared with similar systems in

4095-425: The United States. However, North American river otters remain rare or absent in the southwestern United States. Water quality and development inhibit recovery of populations in some areas. The species is widely distributed throughout its range. In many places, the populations have re-established themselves because of conservation initiatives. Reintroduction of river otters may present a problem in that it may contaminate

4186-481: The articulation of ejective fricatives includes complete closure of the glottis before frication begins, and the larynx is raised in the same manner as with ejective stops. Characteristically, the ejective fricatives in Tlingit feature a much smaller aperture for frication than is found in ordinary fricatives. That articulation provides increased resistance to counter the continual loss of dynamic airstream pressure. Also, ejective fricatives appear to include tightening of

4277-422: The birds flightless and thus makes them easier to capture), aquatic insects , small mammals , and mollusks . North American river otters are not scavengers; they avoid consuming carrion (dead animals). North American river otters do not generally handle prey of a large size relative to themselves but there are occasions where they have been observed ambushing and killing adult common snapping turtles while

4368-449: The collection and analysis of 1,191 samples of North American river otter scat (feces) collected during each season. Fish remnants were found in 91.9% of the samples. Moreover, a western Oregon study revealed fish remains were present in 80% of the 103 digestive tracts examined. Crustaceans ( crayfish ), where regionally available, are the second-most important prey for otters. Crustaceans may even be consumed more than fish. For example,

4459-413: The construction of a tunnel to divert water from Atlin Lake to the Taku River . Fearing a potential disruption to the local environment, the provincial government opted to protect Atlin Lake and its surroundings by establishing a provincial park in the area in 1973. A second factor which motivated the creation of this park was a desire on the part of the newly elected provincial NDP government to reverse

4550-496: The continental United States and Canada prior to European settlement. North America's largest North American river otter populations were found in areas with an abundance and diversity of aquatic habitats, such as coastal marshes, the Great Lakes region, and glaciated areas of New England . In addition, riverine habitats in interior regions supported smaller otter populations. The North American river otter existed on all parts of

4641-816: The crayfish have become more difficult to obtain. Amphibians, where regionally accessible, have been found in the North American river otter's diet during the spring and summer months, as indicated in many of the food habit studies. The most common amphibians and reptiles recognized were frogs ( Rana and Hyla ). Specific species of reptiles and amphibians prey include: boreal chorus frogs ( Pseudacris maculata ); Canadian toads ( Bufo hemiophrys ); wood frogs ( Rana sylvatica ); American bullfrogs ( Rana catesbeiana ); green frogs ( Rana clamitans ); northwestern salamanders ( Ambystoma gracile ); California giant salamander ( Dicamptodon ensatus ); rough-skinned newt ( Taricha granulosa ); and garter snakes ( Thamnophis ). Amphibians and reptiles are more obtainable by

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4732-460: The distances that separate them, both geographic and linguistic. Tlingit is currently classified as a distinct and separate branch of Na-Dene, an indigenous language family of North America . Edward Sapir (1915) argued for its inclusion in the Na-Dené family, a claim that was subsequently debated by Franz Boas (1917), P.E. Goddard (1920), and many other prominent linguists of the time. Studies in

4823-443: The distribution became reduced in some regions of southern Canada, the only province-wide extinction occurred on Prince Edward Island . During the 1970s, improvements in natural resource management techniques emerged, along with increased concerns about North American river otter population declines in North America. Consequently, many wildlife management agencies developed strategies to restore or enhance otter populations, including

4914-405: The effects of environmental pollution , which is a likely factor in the continued decline of their numbers. A number of reintroduction projects have been initiated to help halt the reduction in the overall population. The North American river otter was first described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1777. The mammal was identified as a species of otter and has

5005-615: The father, until the following spring. Prior to the arrival of the next litter, the North American river otter yearlings venture out in search of their own home ranges. The North American river otter is found throughout North America, inhabiting inland waterways and coastal areas in Canada, the Pacific Northwest , the Atlantic states , and the Gulf of Mexico . They also inhabit the forested regions of

5096-476: The female's average of 8.3 kg (18 lb). Its body length ranges from 66 to 107 cm (26 to 42 in). About one-third of the animal's total length consists of a long, tapered tail. Tail lengths range from 30 to 50 centimetres (12 to 20 in). Large male North American river otters can exceed a weight of 15 kilograms (33 lb). It differs from the Eurasian otter by its longer neck, narrower visage,

5187-667: The food habits and prey preference of the river otter.” North American river otters consume an extensive assortment of fish species ranging in size from 2 to 50 centimeters (0.79 to 19.69 in) that impart sufficient caloric intake for a minute amount of energy expenditure. North American river otters generally feed on prey that is in larger supply and easier to catch. As a result, slow-swimming fish are consumed more often than game fishes when both are equally available. Slow-moving species include suckers ( Catostomidae ), catfish , sunfish and bass ( Centrarchidae ), daces, carp , and shiners ( Cyprinidae ). For instance, Catostomidae are

5278-690: The inland portions of the Atlin-Taku region." Located 20 kilometres south of Atlin, British Columbia , surrounding Atlin Lake . Visitors cannot access the park by vehicle. The primary means of access are via boat or aircraft, but it is also possible to hike in or ride in (once a permit for bringing a horse into the park has been obtained from provincial authorities). The park is 301,140 hectares (1,163 square miles) in size. Tlingit language The Tlingit language ( English: / ˈ k l ɪ ŋ k ɪ t / KLING -kit ; Lingít Tlingit pronunciation: [ɬɪ̀nkɪ́tʰ] )

5369-649: The interior. There is a small group of speakers (some 85) in Washington as well. Golla (2007) reported a decreasing population of 500 speakers in Alaska. The First Peoples' Cultural Council (2014) reported 2 speakers in Canada out of an ethnic population of 400. As of 2013, Tlingit courses are available at the University of Alaska Southeast . In April 2014, Alaska HB 216 recognized Tlingit as an official language of Alaska, lending support to language revitalization . Tlingit

5460-668: The large turtles (which are roughly equal in average body weight to a North American river otter) are hibernating. Remains of the much larger North American beaver have been found in North American river otter scat in some regions, although most otter dietary studies in areas where otters and beaver live near each other do not show them to be regular predators of beavers (despite the claims of fur-trappers that otters frequently hunt beavers) and perhaps only young beaver kits may be attacked. When left unchecked, though, otters can be significant predators under certain circumstances (e.g. in hatcheries or other fish culture facilities). Likewise,

5551-676: The late 1960s, Tlingit was written exclusively in phonetic transcription in the works of linguists and anthropologists except for a little-known Cyrillic alphabet used for publications by the Russian Orthodox Church . A number of amateur anthropologists doing extensive work on the Tlingit had no training in linguistics and so left numerous samples in vague and inconsistent transcriptions, the most famous being George T. Emmons . However, such noted anthropologists as Franz Boas , John R. Swanton , and Frederica de Laguna have transcribed Tlingit in various related systems that feature accuracy and consistency but sacrifice readability. Two problems ensue from

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5642-506: The late 20th century by (Heinz-)Jürgen Pinnow (1962, 1968, 1970, int. al.) and Michael E. Krauss (1964, 1965, 1969, int. al.) showed a strong connection to Eyak and hence to the Athabaskan languages . Sapir initially proposed a connection between Tlingit and Haida , but the debate over Na-Dene gradually excluded Haida from the discussion. Haida is now considered an isolate , with some borrowing from its long proximity with Tlingit. In 2004,

5733-421: The more accurate d [t] . There is a wide variation in ordinary speech, ranging from unreleased [t̚] to a very delayed aspiration [tːʰ] . However, the underlying phoneme is certainly unaspirated /t/ since it is consistently produced when the word is suffixed. The orthography usually but not always reflects that: hít "house" is written (du) hídi "(his) house" when marked with the possessive suffix -ÿí . It

5824-409: The move, but noted that these new parks largely protected alpine wilderness or, as in the case of Atlin, areas in remote parts of the province where access was difficult. For these reasons the newly protected lands were of little value to the logging industry. The provincial government was criticized for making "easy decisions" which the logging industry would not oppose. Environmental concern involving

5915-489: The multiplicity of transcription systems used for Tlingit. One is that there are many of them, thus requiring any reader to learn each individual system depending on what sources are used. The other is that most transcriptions made before Boas's study of Tlingit have numerous mistakes in them, particularly because of misinterpretations of the short vowels and ejective consonants. Accuracy of transcription can be increased by checking against similar words in other systems, or against

6006-534: The open coast of the Gulf of Alaska and throughout almost all of the islands of the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska . It is characterized by four or five distinct dialects, but they are mostly mutually intelligible. Almost all of the area where the Tlingit language is endemic is contained within the modern borders of Alaska . The exception is an area known as "Inland Tlingit" that extends up

6097-545: The otter to enter and exit the body of water. Female North American river otters give birth in these burrows, producing litters of one to six young. North American river otters, like most predators, prey upon the most readily accessible species. Fish is a favored food among the otters, but they also consume various amphibians (such as salamanders and frogs ), freshwater clams , mussels , snails , small turtles and crayfish . The most common fish consumed are perch , suckers , and catfish . Occasional reports also show

6188-409: The otters are from the orders Odonata ( dragonfly nymphs ), Plecoptera ( stonefly nymphs ), and Coleoptera ( adult beetles ). Invertebrates discovered within scats or digestive tracts could most likely be a secondary food item, first being consumed by the fish that are subsequently preyed upon by the North American river otters. Mammals are rarely consumed by North American river otters, and are not

6279-526: The park boundary. In 2011 the provincial government and the Taku River Tlingit completed a land-use plan for the Atlin Lake area which prohibits weir construction and many other types of development. Atlin's extensive icefields have attracted recent interest from glaciologists and other scientists. Their studies have helped to raise awareness of the park's conservation value. Approximately one third of

6370-408: The park recently resurfaced in the reaction to a proposal by Yukon Energy to construct a weir at Atlin Lake's outlet to stabilize its water level. Yukon Energy stated that the weir is needed to retain water during the winter months which in turn will permit the production of more hydroelectricity downstream during these months when the demand for electricity is highest. Environmentalists responded that

6461-494: The park's area is occupied by glaciers . The Llewellyn Glacier , considered the source of the Yukon River , is the park's largest. It covers 71,140 hectares and the next largest, Willison Glacier, covers 10,165 hectares. Among the park's many lakes, the largest is Atlin Lake. At 775 square kilometers, it is the largest natural freshwater body in the province. Three of British Columbia's biogeoclimatic zones are represented within

6552-411: The park's environment throughout this century. As temperatures rise, more precipitation is likely to arrive as rain rather than snow. Mean annual snowfall may be reduced by as much as 40% by 2100. Lake levels and the size of the park's mountain glaciers may decline as a result. These climatic changes are also anticipated to produce "reduced alpine vegetation and a shift to warmer biogeoclimatic zones in

6643-555: The park: The parks aims to protect habitat for grizzly and black bear , mountain goat , caribou , moose , Stone sheep , and various timber wolf populations. There are many small mammals such as hoary marmots , Arctic ground squirrels , pikas , beavers and river otters . Birds also inhabit the park area, such as the Arctic tern , blue-grouse , ruffed-grouse and the rock , willow and white-tailed ptarmigan . Rising temperatures driven by climate change are expected to affect

6734-481: The pharyngeal muscles, which reduces the diameter of the air column and so further increases pressure. That pharyngeal constriction is not true pharyngealization, however, since the diameter is still greater than what is found in pharyngealized consonants in other languages. Tlingit has eight vowels , four vowels further distinguished formally by length . However, the length distinction is often in terms of tenseness rather than length, particularly in rapid speech. For

6825-461: The policy of prior administrations towards the provincial park system. Noting how prior administrations over the preceding two decades had reduced the number of hectares protected by provincial parks such as Hamber , the NDP government pledged to include over 600,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres) of new land within this system. Atlin was one of several new parks created at the time. Environmental groups applauded

6916-678: The potential predatory impact of otters may be considerable whenever fish are physically confined (most commonly in smaller ponds offering sparse cover or other escape options). To protect fish in these cases, the otters may need to be removed or relocated. Even in larger bodies of water, river otters may take disproportional advantage of any seasonal concentrations of fish when and where only very limited areas of suitable spawning, low-flow, or over-wintering habitat may exist. Even fast-swimming fish like trout slow down in extremely cold water, leaving them vulnerable. As such, careful consideration of any threatened, endangered, or fish species of special interest

7007-794: The primary dietary component of North American river otters in Colorado's Upper Colorado River Basin. Likewise, the common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) is a preferred fish species for the North American river otter in other regions of Colorado. Fish species frequently found in the diets of the North American river otters include: Catostomidae, which consists of suckers ( Catostomus spp.) and redhorses ( Moxostoma spp.); Cyprinidae, made up of carp ( Cyprinus spp.), chubs ( Semotilus spp.), daces ( Rhinichthys spp.), shiners ( Notropis and Richardsonius spp.), and squawfishes ( Ptychocheilus spp.); and Ictaluridae , which consists of bullheads and catfish ( Ictalurus spp.). Other fish an integral part of

7098-425: The pups are about two months old and their coats grow in, their mother introduces them to the water. North American river otters are natural swimmers and, with parental supervision, they acquire the skills necessary to swim. The North American river otters may leave the den by eight weeks and are capable of sustaining themselves upon the arrival of fall, but they usually stay with their families, which sometimes include

7189-450: The region, and the community of Atlin was a busy and important town. Although creeks in the present-day park must have been prospected, none bore any gold. Although production was greatest in the early years, the Atlin field still produces today. Total placer gold production has exceeded $ 23 million. In the early 1970s, BC Hydro proposed development of a hydroelectric project which included

7280-556: The river otter eating other small animals, such as mice, squirrels, birds, and even dogs that they've attacked and drowned. The range of the North American river otter has been significantly reduced by habitat loss , beginning with the European colonization of the Americas . In some regions, though, their population is controlled to allow the trapping and harvesting of otters for their fur . North American river otters are very susceptible to

7371-520: The shells of molluscs . Additional premolars may be present. The dental formula is 3.1.4.1 3.1.3.2 . North American river otters only settle in areas that consist of vegetation, rock piles, and sufficient coverage. North American river otters are renowned for their sense of play. Otter play mostly consists of wrestling with conspecifics. Chasing is also a common game. North American river otters rely upon play to learn survival skills such as fighting and hunting. A highly active predator,

7462-416: The smaller space between the ears and its shorter tail. Males and female river otters show different non-sexual physical characteristics , with males typically being larger. North American river otters can live 21–25 years in captivity, or 8–13 years in the wild. North American river otters characteristically approach within a few feet of a boat or a person on shore due to their near-sightedness ,

7553-514: The south. Tlingit has a complex phonological system compared to Indo-European languages such as English or Spanish . It has an almost complete series of ejective consonants accompanying its stop, fricative, and affricate consonants. The only missing consonant in the Tlingit ejective series is [ʃʼ] . The language is also notable for having several laterals but no voiced [l] and for having no labials in most dialects, except for [m] and [p] in recent English loanwords . The consonants in

7644-594: The southern boreal forest of Manitoba. Trappers in Alberta, Canada commonly assert North American river otters are major predators of North American beavers. A 1994 river otter study reported findings of beaver remains in 27 of 1,191 scats analyzed. However, many other studies did not report any findings of North American beaver remains in the scat sampled. Cases where otters have been ambushed and consumed by grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos horribilis ) and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) have also been reportedly witnessed near

7735-626: The species from the Eurasian otter, which does not do this. In early spring, expectant mothers begin to look for a den where they can give birth. The female otters do not dig their own dens; instead, they rely on other animals, such as beavers, to provide suitable environments to raise their offspring. When the mothers have established their domains, they give birth to several kits. Litter size can reach five, but usually ranges from one to three. Each otter pup weighs approximately five ounces. The mothers raise their young without aid from adult males. When

7826-581: The table are given in the IPA, with the popular orthography equivalents in brackets. Marginal or historical phonemes are given in parentheses. Nasal consonants assimilating with /n/ and the velar and uvular plosives is common among Tlingit-speakers of all dialects. For example, the sequence ng ( /nk/ ) is often heard as [ŋk] and ngh ( /nq/ ) as [ɴq] . Native speakers in a teaching position may admonish learners when they produce these assimilated forms, deriding them as "not Tlingit" or "too English", but it

7917-704: The threat of disease to wild North American river otter populations, so it is poorly understood and documented. Lontra canadensis is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). They have been virtually eliminated through many parts of their range, especially around heavily populated areas in the midwestern and eastern United States. Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction currently, but may become so unless trade

8008-407: The use of reintroduction projects. Since 1976, over 4,000 otters have been reintroduced in 21 U.S. states. All Canadian provinces except Prince Edward Island and 29 U.S. states have viable populations that sustain annual harvests. While current harvest strategies do not pose a threat to maintaining otter populations, harvest may limit expansion of otter populations in some areas. Oil spills present

8099-410: The water. North American river otters may prefer to feed on crustaceans , especially crayfish ( Cambarus , Pacifasticus , and others) and crabs more than fish where they are locally and seasonally plentiful. In Georgia, crayfish accounted for two-thirds of the prey in the summer diet, and their remnants were present in 98% of the summer spraint . In the winter, crayfish made up one-third of

8190-467: The weir could inflict ecological damage and disrupt the migration route of lake trout and other fish between Atlin and nearby lakes. Many local residents were opposed out of concern that raised lake levels could cause flooding and increase shoreline erosion. For the project to proceed, Yukon Energy required the approval of the British Columbia provincial government because part of Atlin Lake is within

8281-557: Was sparse and irregular until the early 20th century. The language appears to have spread northward from the Ketchikan – Saxman area towards the Chilkat region since certain conservative features are reduced gradually from south to north. The shared features between the Eyak language , found around the Copper River delta, and Tongass Tlingit , near the Portland Canal , are all the more striking for

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