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Asian small-clawed otter
These otters are very playful. A favorite activity is juggling a pebble.
Discover in real lifeHabitat
wetlands in Southeast Asia
Food
clams, mussels, crabs, amphibians, fish
Lifetime
12 years
Weight
2-5 pounds
Number of youngsters
1 to 6
Gestation period
2 months
IUCN Status
fragile
EEP?
no
5
kilograms, that's about how much a small-clawed cutter weighs
12
years, that's how old a small-clawed cutter can get
2
months is a small-clawed cutter pregnant
Habitat and threats
Asian small-clawed otters live in Southeast Asia, near shallow water. They live near both salt and fresh water. There is usually dense vegetation nearby. They use this to hide in case of danger. Small-clawed otters dig burrows in the banks to sleep in.
Over the last 60 years, the range of the Asian clawed otter has been shrinking. This is mainly due to land use by humans. Coffee and tea plantations are being established and cities and villages are being built. In addition, small-clawed otters suffer from overfishing and pollution. As a result, there is less and less food for the otters. Finally, there is also much hunting of small-clawed otters, both for their fur and for the illegal pet trade.
:quality(75))
Species conservation in Eindhoven Zoo
Did you know that more than 4000 animal species are threatened with extinction? Eindhoven Zoo works together with about 325 European zoos to preserve and protect these species. Together we form EAZA: the European Zoo Association. We work for more than 400 animal species together in EEPs. EEP stands for EAZA Ex situ Program where Ex Situ means "outside the natural habitat. The Asian small-clawed otter at Eindhoven Zoo are part of an EEP coordinated by the designated coordinator. This person maintains a studbook of data on a particular species and manages the zoo population. The coordinator, together with a committee, makes recommendations on which animals may have offspring together, which animals must move to other parks to do so, and which ones. The chance of healthy offspring and thus keeping the species alive is greatest this way. On the signs in Eindhoven Zoo you can recognize animals with an EEP by the logo of a rhino and her calf.