ASIAN SMALL-CLAWED OTTER

ASIAN SMALL-CLAWED OTTER

The Oriental Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinerea), also known as Asian Small-clawed Otter, is the smallest otter species in the world.

The Oriental Small-clawed Otter is found in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.^[1] It prefers to live near water.

The full grown otters measure approximately 0.9m from nose to tail tip, and can weigh up to 5kg. It feeds on fish, frogs, crabs, crayfish and shellfish.

This otter is especially distinct for its forepaws, as the claws do not extend above the fleshy end pads of its toes and fingers. These attributes give it human-like proficiency and coordination to the point which it can use its paws to feed on mollusks, crabs and other small aquatic animals.

The Oriental Small-clawed Otter lives in extended family groups with only the alpha pair breeding and previous offspring helping to raise the young.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, pollution and hunting in some areas, the Oriental Small-clawed Otter is evaluated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

This species was formerly thought to be the only member of the genus Amblonyx, however it has recently been confirmed as Aonyx after mitochrondrial DNA analysis (Koepfli and Wayne, 1998).

REPRODUCTION: These otters are monogamous, male and female mate for life, and is one of the few otter species that is social and not solitary in its habits. The females gestation period last about 60-64 days and they can have anywhere for 1-2 litters a year. Both parents stay together after breeding and help raise the litter of up to six pups that are born helpless. Pups don't start swimming for about 9 weeks and don't take in solid food for about 80 days after birth. The male normally brings food back for the mother and her pups. The pups may then stay with their parents which starts the formation of a small social group of up to 12 individuals.

STATUS IN THE WILD: The Small Clawed Otter is becoming threatened by habitat loss, hunting for the pet trade and their pelts, and river pollution. It is said that you can tell how clean a river is by how healthy the otters are that live in it. New research and attention for the otter is increasing the attention of its Asian wetland habitat. They are protected by IOSF (International Otter Survival Fund).

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

COMMON NAME : Asian small-clawed otter, Asian short-clawed otter, Oriental small-clawed otter, small-clawed otter
KINGDOM : Animalia
PHYLUM : Chordata
CLASS : Mammalia
ORDER : Carnivora
FAMILY : Mustelidae
GENUS : Aonyx
SUBGENUS SPECIES: Amblonyx cinerea


FAST FACTS

DESCRIPTION:
Asian small-clawed otters are one of 13 species of otters in the carnivore family Mustelidae. Other members of this family include weasels, skunks, and ferrets. Otters in this genus are characterized by only partial webbing between their toes, and small, blunt, peg-like claws. Other otters have fully webbed feet and strong, well-developed claws. Asian small-clawed otters have slender, serpentine bodies with dense, luxurious fur.

SIZE : The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest of all otters, measuring 65-94 cm (26-37 in.).
WEIGHT : Approximately 1-5 kg (2.2-11 lb.)
DIET : Feed mainly on crustaceans, mollusks, and frogs; They forage with their sensitive paws, which enable them to locate prey in silt-bottomed riverbeds.
GESTATION : About 2 months
ESTRAL PERIOD 24 to 30 day estrus cycle with 3 days of estrus
SEXUAL MATURITY : No data
LIFE SPAN : On average, 10-15 years with some individuals living more than 20 years in zoological parks.
RANGE : Southeast Asia from northern India to southeastern China, the Malay Peninsula, and parts of Indonesia
HABITAT : They prefer freshwater and brackish habitats such as rivers, creeks, estuaries, and coastal waters. They may also spend a great deal of time out of the water, traveling considerable distances between waterways.
POPULATION : GLOBAL Unknown


FUN FACTS

1. An individual otter maintains a territory. Otters mark their territories with scent, and fervently patrol and defend their territories.

2. Asian otters are considered semi-social. Scent is the most important communication for all freshwater otters. Each otter's scent is as individual as a fingerprint. Asian otters also communicate vocally, with a repertoire of at least 12 calls.


ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION

All otters have been exploited for their thick, velvety fur. All species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.

ASIAN SMALL-CLAWED OTTER Video