Presented by
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Auxiliary

Vernacular Name: Asian (Oriental) Small-clawed Otter

Scientific Name: Aonyx cinerea

Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

Geographic Range: India, Sri Lanka, SE Asia, Indonesia, Borneo and Palawan Islands, S. China.

Habitat: Small streams, shallow estuaries or rice paddies in both upland and coastal areas, avoid deep water.

Physical Characteristics:

Fur is dark to ash gray on dorsal surface; lighter on ventral surface, with a gray or whitish throat.
Feet are partially webbed and resemble human hand.
Claws are shortened, protruding no further than the ends of digital pads.
Tightly packed underfur and long guard hairs are water-repellent.
Body is elongated for ease of swimming in aquatic habitats.

Adaptations:

Feeds like the raccoon, probing in the mud and under rocks along shallow stream bottoms.
Sensitive, naked finger pads allow them to “feel” for food.

Ecological Niche:

Secondary consumer (carnivore) that feeds on aquatic prey.
Primarily diurnal.Partially aquatic and does hunting for prey primarily in aquatic habitat.

Reproduction:

Have weak claws so do not excavate dens, but use natural depressions.
Two to six altricial young are born after a 60-64 day gestation period.
Young weigh 40-50 grams at birth.
Otter’s milk is extremely rich (6X more fat than cow’s milk).
Breeding is not seasonal.
Pairs are monogamous and will live in extended families of 15-20 individuals, including juveniles of past litters.
Males assist in the care of young.

Predator/Prey Relationship:

Preys on mussels, snails, crustaceans and small fish located in the mud and under rocks of streams, lakes, estuaries, and rice paddies.
Chief predators are humans.

Conservation:

Status in wild is unknown, but is part of the AZA's Species Survival Plan program.
Cause of mortality in the wild is varied and includes persecution as fish killers, habitat destruction, trapping for fur, disturbance from human encroachment, and road kills.They are also victims of pollution, either directly by poisoning or, indirectly, through loss of food.

Other information:

They have been found in captivity since the 1960’s and have bred successfully in several zoos.
In Malacca, there is a long tradition of training otters to assist in catching small fish.

Zoo Diet: Cat food, fish.

Location at Zoo: Aquatics Building. If you don’t see us inside, look for us basking in the sun in our outside exhibit.

CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO