Asian Short-Clawed Otters are the smallest of all otter species. They are found in parts of Asia including India, Nepal, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. As their name suggests, these otters have very short claws. Their feet are also only partially webbed meaning they are very dextrous which allows them to grab and hold prey easily, climb and dig. They have long tails to help them propel through the water when swimming as it moves in a rudder-like motion.
It also helps them to stand and balance on land. The Asian short-clawed otter usually only stands at about 2ft tall. Their diet in the wild consists mostly of small fish, crustaceans, small mammals, amphibians or reptiles, and sometimes insects. They can live for up to 20 years in captivity. The IUCN red list currently classes Asian short-clawed otters as ‘vulnerable’ as they face increasing threats to their survival in the wild such as being captured for the pet trade, habitat loss and being hunted for Chinese medicinal purposes.
