Asian Small-Clawed Otter

The Asian small-clawed otter is a semi-aquatic mammal that is found in the southeastern part of Asia. The mammal belongs to the family of Mustelidae and subfamily of the otter. It is the smallest species if otter known in the world. The mammal has paws that are distinctive to the others, as they do not protrude beyond its webbed fingers. The way its claws are located gives it an advantage regarding dexterity as it uses them to feed on crabs and other trivial animals. The Asian small-clawed otter is often found inside the mangrove swamps in the south of Asia (Aziz 3). There are others that are found in the freshwater. The animal species mostly live in the extended families. In the families, only the alpha pairs are allowed to breed as the offspring’s that had been born from the previous generations help in taking care of the young ones. As a result of the environmental pollutions and increased hunting of the mammal, it has become one of the most endangered species. The animal was listed as the most vulnerable in the Red List of Asia. The Asian small-clawed otter Taxonomy According to Moretti et al., the Asian small-clawed otter was originally considered to be the only remaining member of the amblonyx (44). The species was later grouped to the genus aonyx after its DNA was analyzed. However, the latest studies show that the animals are closely related to the genus lutrogale. The scientific name for Asian small-clawed otter is Aonyx cinereus. Characteristics The Asian small-clawed otters are known to be the smallest…

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