Eurasian otter raises hope for J&K stream

• Three Eurasian Otters were recently spotted in the Neeru stream of the Chenab catchment in Jammu and Kashmir.

Eurasian Otter

• It is a semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal.
• Scientific Name: Lutra lutra

Distribution

• It has one of the widest distributions of all Palaearctic mammals.
• Its range covers parts of three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• In India, it occurs in northern, northeast, and southern India.

Habitat

• It lives in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, including highland and lowland lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, swamp forests, and coastal areas.
• In the Indian sub-continent, Eurasian otters occur in cold hill and mountain streams.

Features

• It has a long lithe body with a thick tail and short legs.
• It has sensitive whiskers around the snout to help detect prey.
• It has two layers of fur: A thick waterproof outer one and a warm inner one with 50,000 hairs/cm 2
• It has an acute sense of sight, smell, and hearing.

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Near threatened
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule II
• CITES: Appendix I

Prelims Take Away

• Eurasian otter
• Protection status