These very curious and playful animals belong to the family of the Mustelidae, a diverse group of carnivorous animals that also includes the weasels, badgers, martens, and wolverines.
Worldwide there are 13 species of Otters, and the Asian Short-Clawed is the smallest among all of them, measuring on average 86 cm from the snout to the tail. It does not sound so small right? But what if I told you that the tail accounts for at least half of their total body length…
They live along freshwater and coastal wetlands in Southeast Asia, for which they’re agile swimmers and skilled hunters that use their highly sensitive whiskers and paws to sense food underwater and in oversaturated soils.
There is so much more to learn about Otters, we cannot wait to have you visit us at The National Aquarium to discover more things about the secret life of the Asian Short-Clawed Otters.
In the last few years, the population of Asian Short-Clawed Otters has shrunk due to a combination of factors that include habitat loss, environmental contamination, and wildlife trafficking.
It is important to appreciate these animals but also to understand that they play an essential role in their environment as links in the food web, being of more value to the planet than as pets in the hands of wildlife traffickers or fur for decoration. International efforts have been made to protect the species. IUCN has them listed as a Vulnerable species to raise awareness and international trading protection is in place (CITES Appendix II).
Please do let me know if you need anything additional from my side. We will wait for the mockup and based on once approved we will be going live.
The National Aquarium of Abu Dhabi
Rabdan, Al Qana, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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