Smooth otter, Asian River otter, Indian Smooth otter, Indian Smooth-coated otter
The smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata ) is an otter species occurring in most of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with a disjunct population in Iraq. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 and is threatened by habitat loss, pollution of wetlands and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. As its name indicates, its fur is smooth and shorter than that of other otter species.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Om
OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
Pi
PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
Se
SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
Al
AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Fo
FossorialA fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
Na
NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Mo
MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
So
SocialNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
S
starts withSmooth-coated otters are the largest of Asia’s otters and have a very smooth, sleek pelage. Their fur is velvety and thick and has two layers: their guard fur keeps their underfur dry under water to keep their body heat. This animal’s front legs are shorter than its rear legs, which helps with swimming, and its thick, conical tail is more flattened than in other otters, especially at the end. The males are larger than the females.
The Smooth-coated otter lives in southern and Southeast Asia, China, and India, and in Iraq there is a small population. These otters are primarily found in lowlands, peat swamp forests, coastal mangrove forests, large forested rivers, freshwater wetlands, lakes, and rice paddies. Smooth-coated otters are adapted to water but are equally comfortable being on land and are able to travel long distances overland when seeking a suitable habitat. These animals in Malaysia are more abundant in the mangrove forests than in the river systems.
This species is unusually social and mostly nocturnal. Family groups which include the breeding pair with up to four young born in previous seasons may nest and hunt together within a territory measuring 7 – 12 km². They mark their territory with a strong musky scent that they spread on vegetation from the anal scent glands of both males and females, a behavior called sprainting. The male is larger but the female is the dominant one in the group. These animals are active, hunting in groups both during the night and the day. When they fish, they travel upstream in a V-formation. Most of their foraging activity is in water. Small fish they swallow whole, but they take large fish to shore. Nights are spent in dens that they dig in dense vegetation, among boulders or under tree roots. They communicate through the use of scent, within the otter species, as well as with other animals. Other means of communication they use are vocalizations such as whistles, wails and chirps.
Smooth-coated otters are omnivorous and eat insects, crustaceans, birds, frogs, water rats, eggs and fish.
These otters form strong monogamous bonds. Breeding is from August to December. Gestation lasts 60-62 days, and one to five young are born and raised in a shelter or burrow near water, which the otters excavate, or they take over an abandoned one. The pups are blind and helpless when born, their eyes opening at four weeks. At six weeks they start learning to swim. The young are weaned after five months. The father is permitted to join the group once the pups are weaned, whereupon he helps provide food for them. At one year old, young often disperse to find a home range of their own. This species attains reproductive maturity when they are 22 months old.
Despite a diverse habitat preference, a major threat to this species’ survival is the loss of habitat suitable for them. Large-scale hydroelectric projects and land clearance for agriculture and settlement have had a major impact on this otter, as has habitat degradation due to water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides. Poaching occurs, primarily in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
There are no estimates of population numbers for Smooth-coated otter. Currently this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
This species affects aquatic vertebrate and invertebrate populations via predation.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...