Helping Otters in Asia

Our work

Mission and Vision

Current Projects

Past Projects

Research

Journal

Consultancy

International Workshops

Illegal Trade

Asian Otters and Wetland Conservation from local to global

THERE ARE FIVE SPECIES OF OTTER IN ASIA AND THEY ARE ALL DECLINING IN NUMBER DUE TO WETLAND DEGRADATION, DEPLETION OF FOOD SOURCES, AND ILLEGAL HUNTING.

The smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) - “Vulnerable” in Red List with an urgent need for conservation action to prevent extinction.

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) - “Critically Endangered” in Asian Red List, “Near Threatened” in world Red List.

The Asian short-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) - recently up-graded to “Vulnerable” in Red List.

The hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) – “Endangered” in Red List. Possibly the world’s rarest otter. Believed to be extinct in 1998 but a few isolated and highly threatened populations have since been found.

The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) – “Endangered” in Red List. The only truly marine otter found in Asia. Found on eastern coasts of Russia and used to occur on Japan but now only single animals are recorded.

Throughout Asia otters are being “harvested” in the hundreds. Their fur demands a high price in the illegal wildlife trade and young otters are taken from the wild to supply a rapidly increasing market for pets. Often they die due to inadequate care but even if they do survive they may be raised until they are big enough to be sold for their skin.

Otters are often seen as pests by fishermen because they compete for fish and destroy nets. Many people are very poor and depend on fishing for their livelihoods, so such losses can have a serious impact on their lives. Pest control and the skin trade are the main driver of hunting.

Funding is urgently needed to help with:

• THE ILLEGAL TRADE IN OTTERS
• CARE OF OTTERS RESCUED FROM TRADE
• TEAM OTTER CHILDREN’S CLUBS
• KYRGYZSTAN and MALAYSIA RESEARCH

ILLEGAL TRADE - FUR

Throughout Asia otters receive very little attention in terms of conservation as most effort is directed towards larger, high-profile species, such as tigers, elephants and rhinos. This is despite the fact that otters are excellent environmental indicators as they use both the land and aquatic habitats and both need to be in pristine condition.

Otters are one of the most overlooked, small to medium-sized mammals in Asia. But they are at the forefront of the wildlife trade, with tigers and leopards. Indeed, for every tiger skin found there are at least 10 otter skins and one haul in Tibet had 778 otter skins, including some from the hairy-nosed otter (photo bottom right).

ILLEGAL TRADE – PETS

This is a rapidly increasing problem.

In Indonesia there are many otter pet owners – in Jakarta alone there are at least 800 people with pet otters. These animals are almost all taken from the wild and the mother is killed to get the cubs. There have been various photos and videos shared through social media showing otters on sale openly in markets (photo right). They are kept in tiny cages and the videos show the frantic behaviour of the young otters. Even when they are bought the new owner may not know how to care for them and so they die and a replacement is simply bought.

The market has been driven by the appearance of otters in zoos and circuses and in Japan there has been a dramatic increase in the number of otter cafes, where customers can play with the otters (right). The animals are often kept in attrocious conditions when out of sight of the public but when “performing” they are “cute”, so people want their own pet.

The Covid 19 virus clearly demonstrated the huge problem of health and disease in wildlife markets in addition to the obvious animal welfare issues. China and parts of Southeast Asia imposed a ban on these markets and it is hoped that these will be permanent. This will have a considerable effect on trade in otters and other wildlife and will help conserve populations. However, there will still be those who continue to trade illegally and it is vital that we maintain vigilence to prevent this.

Otter pets are mostly Asian small-clawed although smooth-coated, hairy-nosed and Eurasian otters have also been found. At the time of the workshop in 2013 only Eurasian and hairy-nosed otters were legally protected in Indonesia. IOSF was asked by the government to provide priorities for otter conservation and full protection for the other two species was highlighted. In 2018 the government brought in legal protection for smooth-coated otters but unfortunately, Asian small-clawed otters, are still not protected by law. IOSF continues to work for this.

There is a need to investigate facilities with performing otters and those continuing to trade in otters. SCORPION, an Indonesian organisation, carry out investigations for the wildlife trade and confiscation of animals. They are also developing an awareness campaign for local villagers.

SUPPORT FOR CENTRES RESCUING OTTERS FROM TRADE

When otters are confiscated from the pet trade in SE Asia they are taken to five main centres: Save Vietnam’s Wildlife received 15 cubs at the end of 2019; Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand rescued 17 cubs; Cikananga Rescue Centre in Java has 7 new otters plus some still awaiting release; SUMECO in Sumatra have two otters but one is a Eurasian otter, a species not seen in Indonesia for 70 years; and Phnom Tamao in Cambodia is the only facility which has cared for hairy-nosed otters (right) and it also has Asian small-clawed, and 22 smooth-coated.

All these centres aim to release the animals in their care if at all possible. If this cannot be done safely then the animals will remain there for the rest of their lives.

Clearly with this number of otters and more coming in regularly it is very expensive in terms of food and vet care. In addition Phnom Tamao also have to bring freshwater daily from Phnom Penh as the hairy-nosed otter is very vulnerable to any form of contamination in the water.

EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS

It is important to involve communities in any conservation work as it will only work with the support of the people. In areas where there is conflict between otters and fishermen it is vital to meet personally in order to understand the extent of the problem. By working with the community it is possible to find solutions to problems together.

TEAM OTTER is IOSF’s education programme focused on children. The programme is aimed at reconnecting children with nature, wildlife and the environment and igniting a passion that will last their whole life.

The programme uses otters as a mascot and an ambassador to a healthy environment but also teaches children about other species, wetland habitats and environmental conservation. The Team Otter network allows children from all over the world to feel part of a group of young people who want to make a difference.

Currently there is a club in Bangladesh and more are planned in Nepal, Laos and Indonesia. There are clubs in Scotland, Montenegro and also in parts of South America and Africa.

TRAINING NEW ASIAN OTTER CONSERVATIONISTS

For any conservation programme to be successful it must be founded on recent sound scientific data obtained by trained professional researchers. They are also far more effective when organised by local people but in Asia there are very few scientists working on otters and their wetland habitats. IOSF has therefore been working to provide a series of workshops to train more people from the region in otter field techniques, public awareness programmes, law enforcement and general conservation issues. Local government personnel are also invited to attend to encourage better law enforcement and otter protection. The first workshop was held in Cambodia in 2009, which was extremely successful and its impact is ongoing in the community.

This led to a demand for workshops in other parts of Asia – Indonesia (2013), Bangladesh (2014), China (2016) and Laos (2018)

The next workshop is planned for Thailand in February 2021. Thailand has all four species of otters and the hairy-nosed otter was rediscovered by Budsabong Kanchanasaka in 1999 in the Toa Daeng peat swamp in the south of the country. It is also a source of many pet otters.

Participants for the workshop will be scientists, university lecturers, forest rangers responsible for conservation, members of NGOs and other similar stakeholders. Local government personnel will also be invited to encourage better law enforcement, otter protection and cross-border collaboration. Training will be provided for 35 participants and funding will cover their expenses in order to make this a regional event with people also being invited from Myanmar and Malaysia.

The format for all our workshops is a mix of classroom studies with discussion, and practical field work. In the classroom, participants learn about otter ecology and their role in the ecosystem, species identification and threats, particularly from trade. In the field they practice identifying field signs, data recording, etc.

The workshop will be held at the rescue centre of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) at Phetchaburi with fieldwork at nearby Kaeng Kraken National Park.

All the instructors have several years’ experience in otter work and have been involved in previous workshops, providing their services free of charge. We are partnering with the Conservation Ecology Program at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in Bangkok and WFFT, who will make a major contribution to the workshop and awareness.

At the end of the workshop a network will be formed which will link with networks formed at previous workshops as part of IOSF’s Asian Otter Conservation Network. The network is chaired by Prof Padma de Silva from Sri Lanka with regional co-ordinators for East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

OTTER RESEARCH IN KYRGYZSTAN

Very little is known about otters in the central Asian state of Kyrgistan, which lies to the east of China. Eurasian otters are believed to have isolated populations but actual documented research has never been conducted. It is believed that their range has contracted considerably and there is almost no reliable information on numbers and ecology.

Learning more about these otters and exerting efforts toward their conservation is more important than ever, as pressures on this population are increasing, and extinction of otters in Kyrgyzstan is definitely possible.

The project will conduct standard surveys in the Chong-Alay area to provide base-line data on distribution, diet, threats, etc. It also hopes to identify reasons as to why otters have declined and are confined to certain areas.

OTTER RESEARCH IN MALAYSIA

Malaysia has four species of otter – smooth-coat, Asian small-clawed, Eurasian and the hairy-nosed, which is one of the rarest otters on the planet. The Malaysian Nature Society Otter Project are planning a survey across Kuala Selangor Nature Park, where these otters are found. Although the focus is on hairy-nosed otters it will provide more information on the other three species present.

They will look for distribution and numbers and create conservation plans for the species and habitats. They will also engage with the community by raising awareness and looking at potential problems with fishing communities. They will train local people to act as otter guardians by monitoring and reporting of illegal hunting activities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE PROJECTS PLEASE CONTACT enquiries@otter.org