Smooth-Coated Otters (lutra perspicillata) at Bardia in Nepal

Smooth-Coated Otter has occasional sighting at Bardia National Park, in Western Nepal. Orai, Giruwa and Babai river system has good habitat for them and for enough food they seen those river frequently while hunting.  

Photo: Dharma Giri (Naturalist and wildlife photographer)

Otters are carnivorous mammals found many places in the World. They are a small size with fur on its slimmer body. There are five species of otters found in Asia and there are three different species made home in Nepal and they are, Eurasian, Asian small-clawed and Smooth-coated otters. Smooth-coated otters form small family groups of a mated pair with up to four offspring from previous seasons. Copulation occurs in water and lasts less than one minute.

Photo: Dharma Giri (Naturalist and wildlife photographer)

Fact-File

English Name:            Smooth-Coated Otter
Scientific Name:          lutrogale perspicillata
Weight:                        8-10 kg fully growned
Gestation period:         60-63 days
Trophic Level:             Carnivorous
Food needed                 1 kg approx a day
Litters size                    up-to 7 recorded
Sexually mature            2 years




The Smooth-Coated Otter has been recorded many other country like; Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia Thailand, Borne and some isolated population recorded in Iraq too.
This mammals occurs mainly where there is fresh water in wetland, seasonal rivers, lakes and paddy field closed to human settlements.

Otters are diurnal mammals with social relation, hunts together in a group or scatter individual. Food contained 70% of fishes, reptiles, frogs, insects. They are spend most of their day time hunting, searching food and short break or lull in a day and sleep at night in a burrows or secure places.

Photo: Dharma Giri (Naturalist and wildlife photographer)

Main threat of this mammals decline rapidly is habitat loss, uncontrolled rural development, over fishing, contaminant of water sources through pesticides and poaching.
Smooth-coated otters are used for commercial fishing in Bangladesh. These otters are bred in captivity, trained, and used to chase fish into fishing nets. This fishing technique is currently used by about 300 fishermen, with an additional 2,000 people indirectly dependent on the technique for their livelihood.