ANIMAL: Asian Small-Clawed Otter Aonyx cinerea Type of Animal: Mustelid Habitat: Freshwater & brackish (mix of fresh & salt water) habitats: Streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, tide pools, estuaries, swamps, mangroves, rice fields, creeks, marshes, coastal areas, swamp forest, mangrove forest, reservoirs, canals, & drainage ditches. Can be found in tropical, subtropical, & submontane areas. Location(s): India (West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu), Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, SE Asia, Philippines, Indonesia, S China Appearance: Smallest otter species, brown fur w/ whitish neck, webbed paws, whisker on muzzle, short sharp teeth. Food/Diet: Crustaceans, mollusks, fish, frogs, snails, mussels, shellfish, insects, rodents, snakes, crayfish, eggs Status in Wild: Threatened Conservation: Breeding in zoos& aquariums Lifestyle: Family groups consist of monogamous pair & up to 2 litters of offspring, each litter w/ around 6 pups. Additional Info: Called: Male-Dog Female-Bitch Young-Pup Group-Romp Weight: Adult-2.2-11 lbs Young-4.48-4.96 oz Gestation: 2 months Body Length: 3 ft Life Span: 10-15 years in wild, 20 years in captivity Tail Length: 0.83-1.16 ft Main predators are snakes, crocodiles, hawks, felids, dogs, & bears. Threatened due to habitat loss, pollution, hunting for fur, agriculture, & human encroachment. Family groups will mob attack at predators. More terrestrial than other otters. Groups mark territory w/ scents and scratches. Have vocabulary of up to 12 calls. Pups leave family group when one of parents dies. These animals are very active & playful. Pups don’t open eyes until 40 days after birth. They can be quite noisy, often chirping. Fun Fact(s): Fishermen have used these otters to drive fish into nets. They can bite w/ sharp teeth if provoked. Can dive underwater for up to 6-8 minutes. Found in Mustelid family w/ badgers, wolverines, ferrets, & weasels.
