Pet Otter

The Pet Otter , sometimes known as the Asian otter, is found throughout South and Southeast Asia. They go by the names small-clawed otters and oriental small-clawed otters. The Asian small-clawed otter thrives in a variety of environments, including mangrove swamps, freshwater wetlands, and riverine ecosystems. Crabs, mollusks, and other tiny aquatic invertebrates are among the foods it eats. Although families of up to 12 people have been reported, couples are the most common.

Pet Otter

Threats to it include pollution, habitat destruction, and, in certain places, poaching. It is categorized as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. According to findings from a 1998 investigation on mitochondrial cytochrome B, the genus Aonyx should have evolved more quickly than did. Their genetic variances were clear when twins were 1.5 years old.

Phylogeny Of Pet Otter

The smooth-coated otter, the Asian small-clawed otter, and the African clawless otter are all members of the sister group known as Lutra (Aonyx capensis). In Singapore, a hybrid between the smooth-coated and small-clawed otter species was created. Although maintaining the genetic make-up of their small-clawed otter ancestors, the young and their progeny mated with the smooth-coated otter population. In Singapore, there are presently at least 60 hybrid otters.

More About Phylogeny Of Pet Otter

A close-up of a small-clawed otter’s mouth. Asian small-clawed otters have dark brown fur that is paler below and somewhat rufous on the back. Its base fur is lighter in color. The cheekbones, upper lip, chin, throat, and neck are pale, whereas the sides of the neck and head are dark. It features an unadorned rhinarium and a tiny, convex head. The sides of the muzzle are lined with long, ragged vibrissae. The front of the head is where the eyes are situated.

Pet Otter

The little ears are round in shape and feature distinct traguses and antitraguses. Long, thin toes that are webbed to the joint cover its paws. Small hairs cover the bottom surfaces of the interdigital webs. The four plantar lobes are shorter in width than in length. Small, almost vertical, and occasionally totally nonexistent, the claws are tiny. Females have four mammary glands.

The Location And Ease Of Access

Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Palawan are among of the islands that make up the native range of the Asian narrow otter. It may be found in a variety of freshwater wetlands, including swamps, meandering rivers, rice fields, estuaries, coastal lagoons, and tidal pools. In West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, and Arunachal Pradesh, it is found along the shore. It may be found in shallow mountain streams up to 2,000 meters high in Karnataka, the Nilgiri, and the Palni highlands in Tamil Nadu (6,600 ft). 

Ecology and Behavior

Asian small-clawed otter families. The Asian small-clawed otter spends the most of the day sleeping. It resides in communities of up to 15 people. Between November 2014 and March 2015, 53 persons were counted in the Bangladesh Sundarbans over a distance of 351 kilometers (218 miles) at 13 different places. A group might consist of one to twelve people. There are at least twelve separate whimpers and cries from the group.

More About Ecology And Behavior

Wild Asian small-clawed otters have been observed utilizing their tails and rear feet to disperse their spraint in restroom settings. More often than those in groups of three or fewer, animals in big groups were smeared. Several geographic regions have varying distributions of latrines with smeared scats, indicating a preference for particular sites. Sprain smearing strengthens interpersonal ties between groups and is associated with territorial marking actions. 

Diet Of Pet Otter

Small-clawed otters from Asia are munching away in the Edinburgh Zoo.
For Pet Otter, the main food sources are crabs, mudskippers, and Trichogaster fish. It has a seasonal diet. It not only captures rodents, but also cats, frogs, snakes, insects, rats, mice, Anabas testudineus, Channa striata, and other creatures in ricefields, whenever and wherever it is located. Crabs at the Huai Kha Khaeng Natural Sanctuary have carapaces that range in size from 10 to 44 cm (3.9 to 17.3 in).

Reproduction Of Pet Otter

The mating and breeding behaviors of Pet Otter housed in captivity have been researched. Captive couples are monogamous. Oestrus lasts one to thirteen days for men, but between 28 and 30 days for women. Usually, mating takes place in the water. Pregnancy might last anywhere between 62 and 86 days. The interval between births is at least eight months. Around two weeks prior to giving birth, both the male and the female begin building a nest. 

More About Reproduction

Puppies are born with closed eyes; they begin to open during the fifth week. A puppy weighs between 45.6 and 62.5 g (1.61 and 2.20 oz) at birth, and between 410 and 988 g at 60 days of age (14.5 and 34.9 oz). About 10 weeks old, they start to saunter around the breeding cave. They begin utilizing their mother’s help to paddle in shallow water at three months old. They can stand unaided by the time they are four to five months old.