Exotic Animals > Asian Short Clawed Otter

Asian Short Clawed Otter

Amblonyx cinerea

INTRODUCED FOR ZOO COLLECTIONS

DISTRIBUTION: Found naturally throughout southern Asia, including southern India, southern China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea and the Philippines.

HABITAT: Swampy mangroves, freshwater wetlands and slow moving streams. They prefer shallow water although they spend most of their time on land.

BREEDING: Lifelong pair bonding occurs at 2-3 years of age. Gestation takes around 62 days and often 2 litters of up to 6 pups are born each year. Young are small and helpless, and are blind until 40 days old.

FOOD: This otter is carnivorous with a natural diet of crabs, shellfish, small birds, frogs and small fish. Fingers and whiskers are used to locate food under rocks.

GENERAL: The smallest of the 19 otter species they weigh less than 4kg. Brown fur covers most of their body apart from the neck which is white-grey. Paws are partially webbed with small blunt claws. They have very good eyesight. Back legs are used for swimming with the tail acting as the rudder. There is anecdotal evidence of a New Zealand otter. Willowbank has been involved in researching this claim.


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