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    Smooth Coated Otter: Habitat and Social Grouping

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    Zafeer Shaikh
    The Smooth-coated otter lives in freshwater wetlands like rivers, canals, and lakes in family groups. It mainly eats fish, comprising 95% of its diet, but also eats other small animals. The otter plays an important role in the ecosystem as an indicator species and top predator. However, its numbers have declined greatly in Pakistan due to hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts are needed to protect the remaining fragmented populations and enforce laws against hunting.

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    Smooth Coated Otter: Habitat and Social Grouping

    Uploaded by

    Zafeer Shaikh
    39 views2 pages
    The Smooth-coated otter lives in freshwater wetlands like rivers, canals, and lakes in family groups. It mainly eats fish, comprising 95% of its diet, but also eats other small animals. The otter plays an important role in the ecosystem as an indicator species and top predator. However, its numbers have declined greatly in Pakistan due to hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts are needed to protect the remaining fragmented populations and enforce laws against hunting.

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    The Smooth-coated otter lives in freshwater wetlands like rivers, canals, and lakes in family groups. It mainly eats fish, comprising 95% of its diet, but also eats other small animals. The otter plays an important role in the ecosystem as an indicator species and top predator. However, its numbers have declined greatly in Pakistan due to hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts are needed to protect the remaining fragmented populations and enforce laws against hunting.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    39 views2 pages

    Smooth Coated Otter: Habitat and Social Grouping

    Uploaded by

    Zafeer Shaikh
    The Smooth-coated otter lives in freshwater wetlands like rivers, canals, and lakes in family groups. It mainly eats fish, comprising 95% of its diet, but also eats other small animals. The otter plays an important role in the ecosystem as an indicator species and top predator. However, its numbers have declined greatly in Pakistan due to hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts are needed to protect the remaining fragmented populations and enforce laws against hunting.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Smooth Coated Otter

    Factsheet: (014.10.03)

    Introduction
    Otters belong to the order Carnivora and are semi-aquatic members of the family
    Mustelidae. Thirteen species of otters exist in the world but only two are found in
    Pakistan; the Smooth coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) and the Common or
    Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). Smooth-coated otter is known as Ludhar in Punjabi,
    Ludhro in Sindhi and Oodh Balao in Urdu.

    Habitat and Social Grouping


    The Smooth-coated otter is an amphibious mammal that lives in freshwater
    wetlands, such as rivers, canals and lakes. They breed throughout the year and live
    in family groups consisting of an alpha male and female with cubs of first two
    generations; Individuals older than a year find some mate from some other family and
    start new family group.

    Feeding Habits
    The Smooth-coated otter is among top carnivore species of wetlands and forages
    largely in freshwater habitats. It is mainly a fish eater and its diet comprises of amount
    95% fish. It also feeds on rodents, frogs, freshwater prawns, larger spiders and birds.

    Significance
    The Smooth-coated otter is regarded as an indicator of a wetland's health as it is very
    sensitive to any changes in the food chain. These otters are also very sensitive to
    deteriorated water quality, toxicity and disturbances. Being at the top of the food
    chain in their specific habitats, otters are among the first species to disappear when
    their environment is contaminated by pollutants such as heavy metals and
    organochlorines like Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls.

    Distribution and Status in Sindh


    The Smooth-coated otter was found along Indus River in Sindh, major parts of Nara
    Canal and many freshwater lakes. Today however its number have been greatly
    reduced and the species can be found only in fragmented habitats in scattered
    populations. In a recent study under the Indus for All Programme funded Otter
    Conservation Project implemented by Sindh Wildlife Department, its existence was
    confirmed in 11 districts in Sindh including; 1. Kashmore-at-Kandhkot. 2. Ghotki. 3.
    Sukkur. 4. Qambar-Shehdadkot. 5. Khairpur. 6. Nawab Shah. 7. Sanghar. 8.
    Jamshoro. 9. Badin. 10. Thatta. 11. Mir Pur Khas. In 1972 it was awarded protected
    status under the Sindh Wildlife Protection Act. Capturing or hunting the otter is illegal
    in Pakistan.
    Reasons for Decline
    The major factor responsible for the decline of this species is hunting for their pelts which are greatly valued in
    countries such as Nepal, China and Russia and fetch high prices. Coats or cloaks made out of otter pelt are
    regarded as a sign of the wearer's wealth and prestige. Fishermen and fish farmers also hunt otter as they are
    perceived as a threat to fish stocks. Other factors for the otter's decline include habitat degradation and human
    incursion. Although they are diurnal animals but continuous human incursion into their habitats has caused them
    to adopt nocturnal behaviour.

    Recommendations for Otter Conservation in Sindh


    1. Enforcement of Wildlife Laws
    The Sindh Wildlife Protection Act 1972 provides protection to all wild animals but its implementation is weak.
    The most important step for otter conservation in Sindh is the effective implementation of this Act.
    2. Training of Wildlife Staff
    The Sindh Wildlife Department is under staffed and lacks adequate resources to fulfill its mandate.
    Institutional strengthening of the Department is required both in terms of training and equipment.
    3. Creation of Otter Sanctuaries
    An area should be declared as an Otter Sanctuary from the identified potential otter sites. All hunting,
    fishing and other anthropogenic activities should be prohibited in this area so that otters are able to live a n d
    propagate in natural environment.
    4. Restoration of Otter Habitats
    One of the main reasons for the declining otter population is habitat loss due to cutting of vegetation (Typha)
    for making mats, burning of older vegetation to have fresh vegetation for livestock, pollution of water bodies
    and extensive fishing in otter habitats. Controlled cutting of Typha, controlled fishing and avoiding polluting
    water bodies can improve otter habitats and their populations.
    5. A wareness Raising
    In addition to the value of otter pelts, there are other misconceptions among the local population about t h e
    medicinal value of the otter's various body parts. This provided an incentive for otter hunting. In all the cases
    of otter hunting, usually the otter pelt is taken while rest of the body is wasted). It is necessary to dispel these
    misconceptions and inform people about the value of this species and its important ecological role in the
    wetland ecosystem.
    6. Community based Otter Conservation
    The involvement of local communities in otter conservation is very important in the long term.
    Community based otter conservation initiatives should include incentives to the community for
    conserving the species such as alternate livelihood and income generation options.

    Conclusion
    The smooth coated otter is an important component of wetland ecology. It ensures healthy fish stock by eating
    weak and diseased fish and prevents the transfer of diseased DNA to next generations of diseased DNA. It is
    also an indicator of pollution in wetlands. If efforts are not made for the otter's conservation we may lose this
    species forever.

    Indus for All Programme


    World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan
    606-607, 6th Floor, Fortune Centre,
    P.E.C.H.S Block-6, Shahra-e-Faisal, Karachi-75400
    Tel: +92 21 34544791-92, Fax: +92 21 4544790
    www.wwfpak.org, www.foreverindus.org

    S m o o t h C o a t e d O t t e r

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