Eurasian Otter

March 17, 2023

Recently, scientists from Jammu obtained a photographic record of the semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal in Neeru stream, a tributary of the Chenab
- Neeru is a 30-km perennial stream that originates in the Kailash Lake at 3,900 metres above mean sea level and drains into the Chenab at Pul-Doda.
Otters are mammals of the family Mustelidae consisting of 13 species.
- They are found in every continent except Australia and Antarctica.
The Eurasian otter covers the largest range of any Palearctic mammal.
The species is persecuted as a pest in countries such as India, China and Nepal, and its populations have declined due to hunting for food and pelt, habitat loss, pollution and climate change.
IUCN Red List classification- ‘Near Threatened’.
It is regarded as a flagship species and indicator of high-quality aquatic habitats.