Otter family out in the snow

ORIENTAL SMALL-CLAWED OTTERS IN THE WILD
The range of the Oriental small-clawed otter (Amblonyx cinereus cinereus) in the wild is quite large, stretching from India through Southeast Asia and up to the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China. Their range overlaps with those of smooth-coated otters and Eurasian otters in India.

Oriental small-clawed otters inhabit fresh water and peat swamp forests, rice fields, lakes, streams, reservoirs, canals and mangrove forests.

This species is the smallest otter species in the world, and is known for its extremely agile, hand-like front paws that feature the short claws that give the species its name. These front paws allow the otters to catch and dexterously utilise many types of prey, including crab, snails, molluscs, small fish and insects. They may even prey on other small rodents, snakes and amphibians.

Oriental small-clawed otters have brown fur with a lighter underside and a greyish-white face and neck. Like other otter species, they have a powerful, rudder-like tail that propels and steers them in the water.

Although most otter species tend to be solitary, Oriental small-clawed otters live in family groups consisting of an alpha breeding pair and older offspring that help to raise the young.

The numbers of Oriental small-clawed otters in the wild are declining due to many threats, including habitat loss and destruction due to farming, as well as water contamination due to insecticides entering streams from farm runoff. Overfishing of otters’ prey and contamination of prey due to pollution are two more significant threats to this species. Due to the declining population and the many threats this species faces, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorised the Oriental small-clawed otter as Vulnerable, meaning that the species is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable