Oriental small-clawed otter
Facts about this animal
The Oriental small-clawed otter has a glossy brown fur with a lighter coloured underside. Their hair is relatively short and very water resistant. The claws of the Oriental small-clawed otter are much smaller than other otters. And also unlike other otters, their paws are very slightly webbed, and they are capable and dexterous when using them. They can close their nostrils and ears to keep water from getting in when they are under water.
Did you know?
That the Oriental small-clawed otter is the smallest of the 13 otter species in the world?
|Name (Scientific)||Aonyx cinereus|
|Name (English)||Oriental small-clawed otter|
|Name (French)||Loutre cendrée|
|Name (Spanish)||Nutria cenicienta, Nutria inerme asiatica|
|Local names||Malay: memerang kecil
|CITES Status||Appendix II|
|CMS Status||Not listed|
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|Range||Indonesia, southern China, southern India, the Philippines and Southeast Asia|
|Habitat||Freshwater and peat swamp forests, rice fields, lakes, streams, reservoirs, canals, mangrove and along the coast (IUCN Red List)|
|Wild population||Unknown (Red List IUCN 2011), but population is threatened by rapid habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution.|
|Zoo population||666 reported to ISIS (2007)|
In the Zoo
How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 82 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
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Why do zoos keep this animal
The Oriental small-clawed otter is rated near-threatened by IUCN and zoos maintain viable ex situ populations under an International studbook and regional conservation breeding programmes. Animals bred under these programme are now kept for educational purposes and serve as ambassadors, lobbying for clean water and the restoration of freshwater courses.
Oriental small-clawed otters have the advantage of being largely diurnal and social animals, making them a very attractive species for the public.