What Are Asian Small-Clawed Otters?
True to its name. the Asian small-clawed otter is native to South and Southeast Asia, particularly southern India, southern China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and outlying islands. They are called “small clawed” because their claws do not extend past the webbing of their feet, but they are also the smallest species of otter in the world, topping out at a 24-inch body length, 13.6-inch tail length, and weighing up to 7.7 pounds. These cute animals are generally a dark brown with pale fur underneath and white spots of fur on the throat, sides of the neck, chin, lips, and cheeks. They prefer freshwater wetlands, swamps, marshes, and rice fields.
What Do They Eat?
Mostly nocturnal, the Asian small-clawed otter travels in groups of up to 15 individuals. Like all otters, they are a talkative bunch and communicate through squeaks, yelps, and whimpers. They primarily eat fish and shellfish, although they are also known to eat frogs, snakes, insects, and even rats. It has also been found that the Asian small-clawed otter will leave shellfish like crabs out in the sun so the heat dries the shells and causes them to fall open and revealing the meat inside. This is useful, as the tiny otters have been found to consume crabs nearly as large as they are!
Baby Otters!
Though they are known to travel in groups, the Asian small-clawed otter mates monogamously and gestation lasts less than three months. During this time, the male and female mating pair will build a nest out of grass and hay and care for their young (usually one to seven pups) until they are fully independent at about five months of age. They begin to swim at three months, but until then, they remain safe in the nest with their parents.
Are Asian Small-Clawed Otters Endangered?
As of today, the Asian small-clawed otter is considered a vulnerable species. Though their main animal predators are large snakes, crocodiles, and wild cats, their primary predator is humans. Poached and captured both for their lustrous fur and the wild pet trade, Asian small-clawed otters are currently protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (also known as CITES, this organization protects endangered plants and animals from illegal international trade). Their habitats are also quickly dwindling due to destructive agriculture, and many otters are succumbing to pollution of their waters. There is no accurate estimate of the number of Asian small-clawed otters currently in the wild, although the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, WA, which focuses on animal conservation throughout the world, believes there may be as few as 5,000 of these otters left in their natural habitats.
Babby Farms Otters
At Babby Farms, our Asian small-clawed otters are named Yang, Zang, and Pascal. They are very sweet and playful and love to swim in their water feature and eat lots of tilapia. Come visit our Babby Farms otters today!