Status of Otter Species in the Asian Region Status for 2007

Four species of river otter inhabit the Asian wetlands, while one species of sea otter of which there is little ecological information so far is found in the coastal areas of northern Japan. Of the river-otters, the status of small-clawed otter, smooth-coated otter and Eurasian otter are fairly well known in most countries, except that there is hardly any information from countries in west Asia. The hairy-nosed otter, which was not recorded for more than two decades, was rediscovered in Thailand and Vietnam in 1999 and 2000, respectively. In 2002, evidence for the presence of hairy-nosed otter was found in Cambodia as well. In highly industrialized Asian countries there appears to be no wild otter populations, pollution and destruction of otter habitats probably being the major factors that contributed to this extinction. Legal protection is also lacking in some countries and the otters are still being killed for their organs for indigenous medicine and skins for making warm apparels. Asian people in general are unaware of the importance of otter in the wetlands. Therefore, efforts are being made to carryout awareness & training programs and otter surveys, particularly on hairy-nosed otter. In March 2006 a training workshop was held in Nepal on otter survey techniques and a similar training program would probably be held either in Vietnam or in Cambodia in 2008. General surveys on otter are in progress in S. Korea, China, India (North & South) and Sri Lanka, while ecological work on hairy-nosed otter is being carried out in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia (Sumatra). Several of these projects are being funded by the small grants provided by the Columbus Zoo Organization, US, Japanese Otter Specialist Group, Japan & International Otter Survival Fund, UK.