The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is, interestingly enough, a large member of the weasel family. This lovely animal can reach nearly a metre in length and weigh up to 12 kilograms. Yes, they eat a lot...of fish. It is the only wild otter species found in Hong Kong and the UK (where these pictures were taken). It is also known as the European otter and common otter.
There is a push on at the moment by WWF HK... see link below...Mai Po and the Inner Deep Bay Wetlands are home to the Eurasian otter, arguably the rarest local mammal. A recent study only found seven otters in Hong Kong, suggesting that only a tiny population is left.
I am not sure why they do not thrive in Mai Po....feral dogs? other predators?
Sadly, otters are threatened worldwide; historically, they have been hunted for their fur, used to produce medicine, eradicated as aquaculture pests, and are badly affected by habitat loss and pollution, since otters need healthy aquatic ecosystems to survive. Hong Kong’s otter population has undergone a dramatic decline and today, Mai Po and the surrounding wetlands are the last refuge for the local Eurasian otter.
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