About UsContact UsNewsroomMembershipJobs/Volunteer   Search
Minnesota Zoo
Guests
Education
Animals
Conservation
International Programs
National Programs
Local Programs
 
         
  Asian small-clawed otter    

Asian small-clawed otter

This species is listed by the 2000 IUCN Redlist as near-threatened. Destruction of the otter's wetland habitat is the major threat to this species. The current captive population is 106 in North America in 22 institutions. One of the foremost concerns of the SSP program for this species is reducing the incidence of kidney stones in captive otters. Research on both captive and wild otters is being done to determine how diet affects this problem. The SSP has and is supporting a survey project in Sri Lanka to conduct a census of all Asian otter species.