Hairy-nosed otter

The hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) is a semiaquatic mammal that lives in Southeast Asia. It is a type of otter, but it is one of the rarest and least known kinds. Because of this, scientists and nature lovers are very interested in learning more about it.

Sadly, the hairy-nosed otter faces big challenges. Its home in the wild is being lost, and some people poaching it, which means taking it for bad reasons. These problems make it very important to protect this special animal and its habitat so it can survive for the future.

Description

The hairy-nosed otter has short brown fur that is lighter on its belly. It has a special nose area covered with short dark hair from the top of its nostrils. Its upper lip and chin are whitish, and some of these otters can be reddish-chestnut in color. The otter’s body is long, with a slender tail and fully webbed paws that have strong claws. The otter’s head-to-body length ranges from 57.5 to 82.6 cm, its tail from 35 to 50.9 cm, and it weighs between 5 to 8 kg. It has a flatter skull and smaller teeth compared to the smooth-coated otter, and its front paws are smaller than its back paws.

Distribution and habitat

The hairy-nosed otter lives in Southeast Asia, from southern Thailand, Cambodia, southern Vietnam, and Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra and Borneo. It has disappeared from places like India, Singapore, and Myanmar, and might also be gone from Brunei.

In Thailand, these otters are found in special forests near the Bang Nara river. They like areas with tall trees and thick plants that keep them safe. In Vietnam, they live in wet forests full of trees and plants, with many canals and floating plants where they can swim and play. In Cambodia, they are seen near Tonle Sap Lake, and in Sumatra and Sabah, they have been spotted in forests and near rivers.

Ecology and behavior

The hairy-nosed otter lives near coastlines and in big rivers, often alone or in small groups of up to four. They eat fish like broadhead catfish, snakeheads, and climbing perch, as well as water snakes, mollusks, and crustaceans. In the dry season, they search for food in drainage canals and ponds.

Male and female otters may pair up only during the breeding season. They communicate with a simple chirping sound, and mother otters call their babies with a quick, chattering noise. In places like Cambodia, otters have babies between November and March. The time from when a mother otter becomes pregnant until she has her babies is about two months. Families with both parents and their babies have been seen from December to February.

Threats

The hairy-nosed otter faces dangers because its home is being taken away and some people hunt it for its fur. These threats make it one of the rarest otter species in the world.

Predation

Hairy-nosed otters have a few natural enemies. They can be caught by grey-headed fish eagles, stray dogs, and reticulated pythons. In places like Cambodia, they might sometimes be eaten by Siamese crocodiles. In Vietnam, Burmese pythons and other types of eagles can also hunt these otters.

Conservation

The hairy-nosed otter is one of the rarest otter species in Asia. It is in danger because its natural homes are disappearing, and some people hunt them for fur and meat. Sadly, they can also be harmed when fishing nets catch them by accident.

In captivity

In 2008, a group called the Wildlife Alliance helped save a hairy-nosed otter that was caught near Tonle Sap. They took care of it at a special rescue center, but the otter became very sick and passed away in 2010. Later, in 2010, another hairy-nosed otter was rescued and they hope it can help start a program to keep these otters safe in the future. Right now, this is the only hairy-nosed otter known to be living in captivity.

Main article: Wildlife Alliance

Main articles: Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, Conservation International