UCLA

This study is an analysis of records of the seizure of otters by law enforcement agencies in selected Asian countries between 1980 and July 2015. The study was undertaken to understand the extent and scale of the illegal otter trade in Asia, and focussed on four Asian otter species i.e., the eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana), small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus), and the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata). All four species were documented in illegal trade, with 161 recorded otter seizures across 15 countries in Asia between 1980 and 2015, involving an estimated 5881 individuals. Otter skins constituted the majority of the seizures, particularly in India, Nepal and China. Since early 2000s, there seems to be a rising demand for otter pups for the pet trade, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam. While seizure records as a whole were scarce across the region, we conclude that illegal otter trade is persistent and largely unchecked, despite otter species being legally protected across their range.