Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual (1998)

2. People kill otters because of supposed competitor for fish.3. Lack of protected areas and wildlife law to protect otters.Conservation Priorities1. The highest priority is to establish protected areas in Laos such as forest reserves and wildlifesanctuaries, including rivers, wetlands, and marshes. If this happens, otters as well as other wildlife,will have a more secure future.2. The new wildlife law needs to be approved and implemented, in order to protect otters and otherwildlife in Laos.LebanonThe Eurasian otter occurs in adjacent rivers in Israel, probably present, but no recent information isavailable.MalaysiaSpecies PresentAsian small-clawed otter, smooth otter, Eurasian otter (?), hairy-nosed otterStatus and DistributionThe Asian small-clawed otter and the smooth otter are relatively common throughout PeninsularMalaysia, while the current existence of the Eurasian otter and the hairy-nosed otter on the peninsula isunconfirmed. In Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo, at least three species of otter occur: thehairy-nosed otter, the smooth otter, and the Asian small-clawed otter.The Asian small-clawed otter is common throughout the rice fields, mangroves, and wetlands ofPeninsular Malaysia, with the highest numbers being recorded from the state of Kedah. In EastMalaysia, this species is also widely reported from all areas of Sabah and Sarawak.The smooth otter is common throughout Peninsular Malaysia, inhabiting mangroves, rivers, rice fields,and wetlands throughout the peninsula. The greatest numbers of this otter have been recorded from thestate of Kedah. In East Malaysia it appears to be more rare.The Eurasian otter was recorded by Medway on Langkawi Island off the west coast of PeninsularMalaysia in 1978, but since then no other records of this species have been confirmed anywhere in thecountry.The hairy-nosed otter is reported from scattered localities in East Malaysia but has not been recordedfrom Peninsular Malaysia n recent years. If it still exists in Peninsular Malaysia, it is thought to remain inthe rivers at higher altitudes, far from human presence.Legal StatusAll species of otters are totally protected under the Wildlife Enactment 76172.Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual/Action Plan76