Also small fish, insects, rodents, reptiles and frogs.
Habitat
Freshwater swamps, meandering rivers,
mangroves and tidal pools.
Range
From India
through Southeast Asia to the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China.
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The Asian small-clawed otters
You ‘otter' be here!
Our otters’ two-tiered exhibit is spread across an outdoor upper deck and an indoor viewing gallery. The terrain of the top tier is rocky - they build their dens and nest chambers beneath the boulders. Here, you’ll see them doing their laps in the stream, engaged in a game of tag or playing ‘juggle-the-pebble’. To view their underwater acrobatics, follow the footpath to the lower exhibit. Zoom in on their tiny ears and nostrils - the otters can close them while they swim.
Layering for warmth
At the underwater viewing gallery, you’d probably get close enough to note the otters’ thick fur coat. What you see is their outer layer of long guard hairs, coated with oil to repel water. Only this layer gets wet when the otters take a dive. A layer of fine, tightly-packed underfur stays dry. Air pockets within their coat keep the otters insulated while they swim. It’s important to regularly reintroduce air into their coats, which is why you’d often see them grooming themselves.
Nimble paws and action
True to their name, these otters’ claws do not grow past their digital pads. They have partially webbed paws, which means they’re far more dexterous than otters with fully-webbed ones. Using their forepaws rather than their mouth, they dig for shellfish like clams, mussels and their favourite crabs on the sandy shoreline. Their sharp teeth are well-adapted to the task of crushing shells. Alternatively, they bring catch like clams on land, leaving them to open in the sun.
Passing on information
With a vocabulary of 12 different calls, these otters can be a noisy bunch. The calls are used for contact, summons, greeting, threat and alarm. Scent markings are just as important for communication. Otters emit a musky smell from paired scent glands at the base of the tail that helps mark their territory. The scent also gives chemical cues as to identity, sex and reproductive state. If you were wondering about the smell at the exhibit, this probably explains!
Together, we protect wildlife
Free Aquarius
Carelessly-disposed waste that ends up in our waterways is a threat to wildlife. In the “Free Aquarius” operation, Mandai Wildlife Reserve vets rescued a wild smooth-coated otter pup injured by an ‘O’ ring coiled around her body.
Let’s help the otters by reducing waste. Refill your bottle at water dispensers in our parks.
The IUCN Status
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.
DD
Data Deficient
Unknown risk of extinction
LC
Least Concern
At relatively low risk of extinction
NT
Near Threatened
Likely to become vulnerable in the near future
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
EN
Endangered
At very high risk of extinction in the wild
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
EW
Extinct in the Wild
Survives only in captivity
EX
Extinct
No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity