Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual (1998)

4. Disturbance by human settlement. The ever-increasing human population has eliminated otters fromthe more disturbed parts of their former ranges and consequently they are now restricted to moreremote and undisturbed areas.Conservation Priorities1. Extensive surveys should be conducted to identify key otter habitats, to determine the exact statusof otters and to pinpoint causes of their decline.2. Key wetland areas should be declared otter sanctuaries.3. A publicity campaign is essential for public awareness.4. Captive breeding studies should be started.Figure 6.3. Distribution of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) in Asia.PhilippinesSpecies PresentAsian small-clawed otterStatus and DistributionThe Asian small-clawed otter is distributed in rivers, creeks, estuaries, and tidal areas throughoutPalawan. It has been sighted most often in Brooke's Point, Narra, Bamraza, and St. Paul's Bay.Legal StatusProtected by Proclamation No. 219, and amended by Proc. Nos. 1232 and 1440, which declare thewhole province of Palawan as a Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary. Aside from this, the otter has nospecific legal protection in Palawan.Threats1. The greatest threat is loss of suitable habitat as a result of shifting cultivation, mining and loggingactivities, construction of roads and other infrastructure, and increase in human settlements. Thesedisturbances lead to siltation and eutrophication of rivers and coastal areas where the otters feed.2. Otters are collected for pets and, possibly, for meat.Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual/Action Plan80