Mammal

Smooth-coated otter

Lutrogale perspicillata

हिन्दी: ऊदबिलाव

On the Rajasthan Board's rare and threatened animals listIUCN: Vulnerable

Smooth-coated otter walking along a muddy riverbank

Scientific name: Lutrogale perspicillata
Hindi name: ऊदबिलाव
Family: Mustelidae, order Carnivora
Group: Mammal
Conservation status: Vulnerable
Length: Up to about 1.3 m with the tail
Weight: About 7 to 11 kg

A sleek river hunter that fishes in a team.

Spot it Short, velvety brown fur, a round head, a bare nose and a flattened tail; webbed feet.
Home Rivers and freshwater lakes, resting in shallow burrows and among rocks.
Food web Mostly fish, plus crabs, frogs, insects, water rats and birds.
Why it matters A top predator of rivers; healthy otters mean clean water and plenty of fish.

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