About Otters

Discover the characteristics of different otter species and learn about the risks they face.

What makes otters so precious?

Otters are part of the Mustelid family of animals which also includes badgers, pine martens and weasels.

There are 13 species of otter around the world and many of them are endangered.

Use the links below to explore the different species and find out more about otters in other parts of the world.

Image © Wendy Yates

Otter Species

African Clawless Otter

The African Clawless Otter is the largest of the African otters weighing up to 22kg!
Image © Rowan Jordaan

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Asian Small-clawed Otter

The Asian Small-Clawed Otter is the most popular otter to be kept as a pet. In Jakarta, Indonesia, alone there are around 800 pet otters.
© Ellen van Yperen

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Congo Clawless Otter

Congo Clawless Otters, also known as swamp otters, are very large and similar in appearance to the African clawless otter.
Image © Rita Chapman

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Eurasian Otter

The Eurasian otter can survive in a variety of habitats and climates and has the biggest geographical range of any species. Eurasian otters have even been found above 4,000m in the Himalayas in Tibet!
Image © Ross Lawford

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Giant Otter

Giant Otters are the largest of all the otters, double the size of the smallest, the Asian Small-Clawed Otter.
Image © Ann Fulcher

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Hairy-nosed Otter

In 1998 the Hairy Nosed Otter was believed to be extinct. However, in 1999, Hairy Nosed Otter cubs were found as pets in Southern Thailand. Since then, they have been located across South East Asia, although exact population figures are still unknown.
Image © Romain Pizzi

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Marine Otter

Unlike other coastal otters, like the Eurasian otter, once it has been in salt water the Marine otter doesn’t need to clean its fur in fresh water. The Marine otter has different, more rigid, fur that protects it against rocks if it is fishing in rough waters.
Image © Pablo Necochea B

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Neotropical Otter

The Neotropical otter is also called the Long-Tailed otter, as its tail makes up to a third of its body length!
Image © Philip Perry

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North American River Otter

Around 50,000 North American River Otters are killed annually through legalised trapping in Canada and U.S.A.
Image © Talia Rose

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Sea Otter

Sea Otters have up to 150,000 hairs per cm2 of skin. More than any other animal in the world!
Image © April Severin

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Smooth-coated Otter

In Bangladesh, Smooth-Coated Otters work alongside fisherman to catch fish. Trained otters chase fish into nets for the fishermen. Once the catch is done, both parties enjoy a fish dinner!
Image © Harshit Sharma

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Southern River Otter

The Southern River Otter, also known as “Huillin”, has the smallest range of all otters, and is only found in the Patagonia region of southern Chile and Argentina.
Image © Matías Pavez

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Spotted-necked Otter

Spotted Necked Otters have helped to create a positive change in attitudes towards otters. In Kenya, locals set up fish farms to provide food for local people and otters. This has been a perfect resolution where both man and otter can live in harmony.
Image © Derek Keates

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Otters Around the World

Find out all about information on otters in certain countries. Please note, there are no wild otter populations in Australasia* and Antarctica.

*Otters are said to be absent from Australasia. However, New Zealand was reported to have an indigenous mammal living in the rivers and lakes of South Island when the first European settlers came in 1777. In 1851 the Maoris described an animal resembling an otter or badger and in 1861 Julian Haast wrote "I frequently saw tracks which resembled a European otter".

By the 1950s it was concluded that there was very little evidence to say that this animal ever existed, although a little doubt still remains and we should not ignore the possibility, however small.