Aonyx cinereus
The smallest of otters
The Asian otter, also known as the grey otter, is the smallest of the otters.
It is perfectly adapted to semi-aquatic life: its body is long and tapered, ears and nostrils close when diving, feet and hands are webbed and its vision underwater is very clear. It feeds mainly on crustaceans, molluscs and fish.
It lives in family groups of about a dozen individuals, and couples are formed for life. Their den, called a catiche, is built between the roots of the trees growing on the banks. This is where the birth will take place! Habitat loss due to the drying up of wetlands, pollution of rivers and poaching for its fur make this species vulnerable. In addition, there is animal trafficking and the scarcity of its prey, a consequence of overfishing.
At La Barben…
Two grey otters arrived in 2023 and since then the family has grown! They live in an area with waterfalls and an underwater pool, which they share with the binturongs !
