One of the 8 otters on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae
Smooth-coated Otter
Lutrogale perspicillata
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
The smooth-coated otter is the largest otter in Asia, with a short, dense, silky coat that gives it the sleek, glossy look from which it takes its name. It lives in tightly knit family groups that hunt as a team, forming a line that sweeps the water and drives fish into the shallows. It occupies large rivers, wetlands and mangroves from Iraq to Indonesia. Water pollution, the loss of wetlands and hunting for its fur have fragmented its populations.
Weight
7 kg – 11 kg
Size
65 cm – 79 cm
Life expectancy
12 years
