Re: Aonyx Cinerea

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: Oriental: Amblonyx cinereus is found throughout southern Asia, including southern India, southern China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, and the Phillipines. ( American Zoo and Aquarium Association, 1998) : ^ Physical Characteristics : Mass: 1 to 5 kg. : Asian clawless otters are the smallest of the nineteen extant otter species. Body length ranges from 450 to 610 mm, with a tail length of 250 to 300 mm. Velvety brown hair covers their body with the exception of their necks, which are accentuated by white or gray hair. Guard hairs are 12 to 14 mm long while underfur is 6 to 9 mm in length. : As their name suggests, these otters have tiny blunt claws. Their partially webbed paws are unusual among non-primates, they are hand-like with nimble fingers. This adaptation allows clawless otters to have an excellent sense of touch and coordination. They have been seen juggling pebbles between their toes. Clawless otters use their forepaws to capture food, unlike other otter species. : Asian small-clawed otters have exceptional vision both on land and in water. They propel themselves through the water with their hind legs, their tail acting as a rudder. A. cinereus is monomorphic, males and females differ little in morphology. (www2.cybercites.com/~reserve/Carnivora/Mustelidae/otters/smallclaw.htm, 1998; Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, 1998) : ^ Natural History : : ^ Food Habits : A.cinereus is carnivorous. Their diet includes crustaceans, mollusks, fish, aquatic birds, and frogs. Snails, other mollusks, and crabs are most commonly eaten. These otters use their fingers and whiskers extensively as sensory tools. They locate their prey by probing below mud and under rocks in shallow waters. : (Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 1997; Matthew, 1997) : : ^ Reproduction : A. cinereus breed as monogamous pairs which mate for life. As many as two litters of 2-6 pups are born each year. Gestation lasts about 62 days. The estrous cycle last 24 to 30 days, with an estrus of 3 days long. Pups are born small and helpless, they do not open their eyes until 40 days old, begin swimming at 9 weeks, and begin taking solid food at about 80 days old. Sexual maturity is reached at 2 to 3 years of age. (Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, 1998; Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 1997) : : ^ Behavior : Asian clawless otters are social and playful creatures. They play chase, tug of war, "slip and slide" on muddy hills, and other games which they develop . When otters are not entertaining themselves, they sun on rocks, hunt, or leisurely paddle in water. Otters live in groups of 4 to 12. Breeding pairs mate for life and both parents rear the pups . Females are dominant to their male mates. Males hunt for food for both the mother and pups until the pups can survive on their own. Once reaching adulthood most of the otters stay with their parents. This forms the core of a small social group. These diurnal otters have a vocabulary of at least 12 calls.( Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 1997; Dartmor Otter Sanctuary, 1998; Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, 1998) : : ^ Habitat : Asian clawless otters dwell in swampy mangroves, freshwater wetlands, and lazy streams. They spend more time on land than in water and prefer shallows to deep water. These otters can dig their own dens in riversides, but also make use of the abandoned dens of other animals, or dense vegetation for shelter.( Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 1997) : Biomes: freshwater lake, freshwater rivers : ^ Economic Importance for Humans : : ^ Positive : A. cinereus are social and intelligent, making them easily trained. In southeast Asia fishermen use these otters to drive schools of fish into their nets. The otters are put on a harness and allowed to keep any fish they catch. Asian small-clawed otters are bred by fishermen for this purpose. A major component of Asian small-clawed otter's diet is crabs, which are pests in rice fields. The otters aid farmers by reducing crab populations in their fields.( Dartmor Otter Sanctuary, 1998) : : ^ Negative : Asian small-clawed otters search for crabs in rice fields, as a result they also uproot rice seedlings. (Dartmor Otter Sanctuary, 1998) : ^ Conservation : Status: : IUCN: Lower Risk : U.S. ESA: No special status : CITES: Appendix III : A. cinereus are currently at a lower risk for extinction. However, recently there have been more threats to these otters. Threats include pollution, habitat destruction, entanglements in fishing nets, and trapping for fur. These otters are part of the Species Survival Program, a captive breeding program. There are 21 participating zoos housing more than 100 Asian clawless otters. Originaly they were placed in the program to set a standard for breeding otters in captivity. (American Zoo and Aquarium Association, 1998; http://members.aol.com/OtterFreak/asian.html, 1998) : ^ Other Comments : All three species of clawless otter were once included in the genus Aonyx. They are currently separated into three genera with one species each: Aonyx capensis, of eastern and southern Africa, Paraonyx congica of central Africa, and Amblonyx cinereus . : Other common names for Ambloynx cinereus are: : Oriental small or short-clawed otter, Asian short-claw otter, and Malaysian short-clawed otter. Synonyms include Aonyx cinerea, Amblonyx cinerea, and Micraonyx cinerea. : In captivity these otters are susceptible to kidney problems and obesity. To reduce those problems they are fed cat food which is low in calories, to moderate weight, and low in ash content, to reduce kidney problems. (

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