Smooth-coated otter

The smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) is a freshwater otter that lives in parts of South and Southwest Asia, especially in Southeast Asia. These otters look different from others because they have smooth, short fur.

Smooth-coated otters are not very common today. In 1996, they were listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Their homes are disappearing, their wetlands are getting polluted, and some people hunt them for the illegal wildlife trade. It is important for everyone to help protect these animals and their homes.

Smooth-coated otters are great swimmers and love playing in the water. They are smart animals, able to find food and stay safe. Protecting these otters helps keep nature healthy and beautiful for all living things.

Characteristics

The smooth-coated otter has short, sleek fur that is dark-brown to reddish-brown on its back and lighter grayish-brown on its belly. It has a rounded head and a diamond-shaped, hairless nose. This helps to tell it apart from other otters. Its tail is flat, and its legs are short and strong. It has large, webbed feet with sharp claws for catching fish. These otters are fairly big, weighing between 7–11 kg (15–24 lb) and measuring around 59–64 cm (23–25 in) long, with a tail that is 37–43 cm (15–17 in) long. Females have two pairs of teats to care for their young.

Taxonomy

The smooth-coated otter was first described by a scientist named Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1826. Another scientist, John Edward Gray, gave it the genus name Lutrogale in 1865. There are three types of this otter. One type lives in India, Nepal, parts of China, Southeast Asia, and islands like Sumatra and Java. Another is found in Pakistan, and the third lives in Iraq near the Tigris River.

This otter is the only living species in its genus, Lutrogale. It is closely related to the Asian small-clawed otter and the African clawless otter. In Singapore, some smooth-coated otters have mixed with Asian small-clawed otters.

Main article: scientific name
Main articles: zoological specimens, subspecies, monotypic, sister clade, hybridisation

Distribution and habitat

The smooth-coated otter lives in many parts of South and Southeast Asia. You can find them in countries like Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Thailand. They also live in places like Myanmar, Vietnam, and islands such as Borneo and Sumatra.

These otters like areas with lots of fresh water, such as wetlands, rivers, lakes, and rice paddies.

In some places, they share their homes with other otter species and prefer larger water bodies. In Singapore, they have adapted well to city environments, using spaces under buildings for shelter. This group is growing and becoming more common.

Behaviour and ecology

The smooth-coated otter lives in groups of up to 11 individuals. They rest on sandy riverbanks and make their homes under tree roots or among boulders. These otters are mostly active during the day and take a short break around midday. They mark their territory by urinating and sprainting on rocks or plants.

These otters communicate with whistles, chirps, and wails. They mainly eat fish, such as Trichogaster, climbing gourami, and catfish. During rice planting season, they also hunt rats in rice fields. Their diet can also include snakes, amphibians, and insects, especially when living near other otter species, where they prefer larger fish. In some areas, they also eat shrimp, crabs, molluscs, birds, and amphibians, depending on the season and salinity of the water.

Threats

The smooth-coated otter faces many dangers, mostly from humans. Their homes, the wetlands, are often lost to make way for settlements, farms, and hydroelectric projects. Water pollution from pesticides also harms these animals and reduces their food supply. Sadly, otters are sometimes killed, especially near places where fish are farmed.

In India, along the Chambal River, otters are most at risk in winter when they care for their young, as human activities like harvesting crops can disturb them. There have also been cases where otters were found being sold illegally as pets.

Conservation

The smooth-coated otter is a protected animal in most places. It is considered a vulnerable species. It was added to CITES Appendix II in 1977 to help control trade. Since August 2019, it has been in CITES Appendix I, which gives it stronger protection against international trade.

Cultural significance

Main article: Otter fishing

In southern Bangladesh, smooth-coated otters help people catch fish. These otters are raised in special places and taught to chase fish into nets. This fishing method supports many fishermen and helps people in the area find work.