Asian Small Clawed Otter

Aonyx cinerea

 

Identification

 

Size: From nose to tail, the asian small clawed otter is about 65 to 94 cm long. The tail alone is 25 to 35 cm long.

Color: This otter is light to medium brown, with demarcated lighter cheeks and throat, and an even lighter belly.

Nose: The nose is like an upright/blunt arrow.

Feet: Narrow, webbed to the last joint with small, blunt claws.

Fur: The guardhairs are 1.2 to 1.4 cm long, and the underhairs are 6 to 9 mm long.

Track/Sign: No info at this time.

 

Ecology

Habitat: This otter, like most, is very versatile. It seems to prefer freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps, but can also be found in ponds, rivers, streams, rice paddies, lakes, and coastal waters. Anywhere that has a permanent body of fresh water with shallows, and surrounding vegetation is open game for them. These otters will travel a long distance out of water in search of new habitats.

Range/Distribution: Asian small clawed otters can be found throughout most of central and southern Asia.

Threats: Pollution and habitat destruction have been major threats to this otter. Logging ventures in their habitat cause siltation of waterways, which can cause a number of problems for the otters. In addition to this, they are killed for their pelts, and for their organs, which are thought to have medicinal value.

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

 

 

Food: This otter will eat crustaceans, mollusks, frogs, small fish (though they prefer the former items), insects, and small mammals. There is some indication that they may eat fruit in the wild; they are known to do so in captivity. They eat about 25% of their body weight per day. As these otters have very little webbing on their front paws, they are very dexterous. They often use their sensitive fingers to explore mud or crevices for food. Prey is generally washed before it is consumed. Shellfish are tossed up onto the bank to dry, because as they dry they open and can be eaten with minimal effort. With crabs it varies between otters whether the carapace is eaten or not, but the legs are generally removed before consumption. Given that these are such social animals there is likely some cooperation in hunting efforts, but none has been observed to this point. They don't generally dive deeper than their body length in search of food.

 

Behavior

Life Cycle: Asian small clawed otters mate for life. Gestation for these otters is between 60 and 64 days. Litters are generally from three to five pups, and a female can have two litters in a year. The pups open their eyes at about 40 days, leave the holt for the first time at about seven weeks, and learn to swim between nine and twelve weeks. At one year of age, pups are ready to leave their family, but it is common for them to stay for much longer, forming a large family group. These otters are sexually mature at 2 years, but usually start to breed when they are about three. Life expectancy in captivity is about 12 years, unknown in the wild.

Social: Asian small clawed otters are the most social of all otter species. They live in family groups of between four and twelve, and sometimes up to twenty, individuals. In such instances the older siblings help to raise the pups, and only the parents mate. The breeding female is dominant. When one of the alpha pair dies, the entire group splits apart, with some members joining existing groups, and others finding mates and forming groups of their own. The group hunts, plays, and sleeps together.

Individual: Oriental small clawed otters are largely diurnal, but are sometimes active at night. They spend more time on land than most other otters, and will go farther from the water's edge to forage.

 

About: This is the smallest species of otter. There is little sexual dimorphism.

Names:

Also called: Asian Short Clawed Otter, Oriental Small Clawed Otter, Malaysian Small Clawed Otter
Spanish: Nutria cenicienta, Nutria inerme asiatica
French: Loutre Cendree
German: ZwergOtter
Italian: Lontra nana, Lontra seza unghie
Other scientific names: Amblonyx cinereus, Micraonyx cinerea

 

Subspecies:

This otter has three subspecies.

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