Eurasian Otter

12.11.2024

Eurasian Otter

Why in the news?                        

A rescue operation conducted by the Pune Forest Department and RESQ Charitable Trust has revealed a rare Eurasian Otter in Indapur, Pune District, a species previously unrecorded in this area.

About Eurasian Otter:

• The Eurasian otter, also known as the European otter, Eurasian River otter, common otter, and Old-World otter, is a semi aquatic carnivorous mammal native to Eurasia.
• Scientific Name: Lutra lutra

Distribution of the Species :

• It has one of the widest distributions of all palearctic mammals, spanning countries in the Middle East, Europe, and Northern Africa, across to Eastern Russia, China, and other Asian countries.
• In India, it occurs in northern, northeast and southern India.

Habitat of the Eurasian Otter:

• It lives in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, including highland and lowland lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, swamp forests, and coastal areas, independent of their size, origin, or latitude.
• In the Indian subcontinent, it is found in cold hills and mountain streams.

Features of the Species:

• It is an elusive, solitary otter.
• It has sleek brown fur, which is often paler on the underside, and a long, lithe body with a thick tail and short legs.
• Adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle include webbed feet, the ability to close the small ears and the nose when underwater, and very dense, short fur that traps a layer of air to insulate the animal.
• Many sensitive hairs ('vibrissae') frame the snout; these help the otter to locate prey.
• It has an acute sense of sight, smell, and hearing.
• Vocalizations include a high-pitched whistle between a mother and her cubs, twittering noises produced during play-fighting, and cat-like noises when fighting.

Conservation Status:

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

                                                             Source: Indian Express

Consider the following statements regarding Eurasian Otter:

1. It is a semi aquatic carnivorous mammal native to Eurasia.

2. It is classified as ‘Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.

3.It has an acute sense of sight, smell, and hearing.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Answer B