(Aonyx cinerea)

At 18 to 25 inches long, Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest of the 12 otter species.

Otters are very intelligent, curious animals. When they aren’t sleeping, they are playing, swimming or digging. Otters can juggle stones, manipulate toys and disassemble just about anything!

STATUS: Endangered

KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Vertebrata
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Carnivora
FAMILY: Mustelidae
GENUS: Aonyx
SPECIES: cinerea

Characteristics  
Asian small-clawed otters’ feet are only partially webbed, and they have stubby fingers tipped with tiny claws that do not protrude beyond the ends of the digital pads (this is the origin of the species name). The fingers on the forepaws are very sensitive and nimble and are used to locate food in the mud beneath the rocks. Long whiskers help otters locate prey underwater and are often more useful than their eyes.

Asian small-clawed otters live in extended family groups of up to 12 animals, with strong bonds between breeding pairs. The female is the dominant partner of the pair. Otters are very agile on both land and in water; Asian small-clawed otters spend more time on land than most other otter species, but they will flee to the water in case of danger.

Range
Asian small-clawed otters are found in rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters in southeast Asia, southeast China, southern India, Hainan, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Palawan and on the Malay Peninsula.

Diet
Wild diet is primarily composed of crabs, snails, crayfish, mollusks and frogs. Otters are hand-oriented (not mouth-oriented like carnivores) and will grab and hold prey with their forepaws while eating.

Lifespan
22 years in captivity

Gestation
The gestation period for Asian small-clawed otters is approximately two months. Otters typically give birth to one or two young, although there may be up to 6 pups born in one litter. Otters give birth to two litters of pups a year, and both parents rear the offspring. Pups nurse until they are 3 to 4 months old and do not learn to swim until they are 2 months old.