OTTERS!

International Otter Arena!! The
Colloquium gave me a real
encouragement to work and
learn more and more about
the otters that I saw in the
Otter Centrum for the first time
in my life. Furthermore, at the
same meeting I was selected
as the Asian coordinator for
the IUCN-SSC Otter Specialist
Group, and later Chair of the
Otter Specialist Group.
Over the last 3 decades the
otter situation in Asia has been
changing gradually and
now we are deeply involved
in surveying, researching,
educating the public and
carrying out awareness
programs on otters in several
countries across the region.
As a result, the researchers of
South East Asia have been
extremely successful in rediscovering
the supposedly
extinct species, the hairynosed
otter, in most of its range
countries. The general public,
especially children, are getting
to know more about the otters
in the Asian wetlands, which is
in itself a great success.
The story would be
incomplete if I didn’t say that
we still have plenty to do to
maintain a clean & healthy
environment for the otter in
Asia. Unfortunately, the otter is
being displaced very fast due
to habitat destruction and
poaching for fur, medicine and
perceived competition with
fishermen. These activities are
at the zenith in Asia. Therefore,
it is our duty to contribute in
whatever possible way to fight
this situation and save the
charismatic otter from being
wiped out from the planet
forever.
29