IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Volume 41 Issue 4 (November 2024)
Citation: Palei,H.S., Palei, N.C., Rath, B.P., and Patra, L.K. (2024). Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) Occurrence in Hirakud Reservoir, India: A Ramsar Site and One of the Longest Earth Dams in The World. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 41 (4): 167 - 173
Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) Occurrence in Hirakud Reservoir, India: A Ramsar Site and One of the Longest Earth Dams in The World.
Himanshu Shekhar Palei1*, Nimain Charan Palei2, Bhakta Padarbinda Rath2, and Lalit Kumar Patra3
1Aranya Foundation, Plot No-625/12, Mars Villa, Panchasakha Nagar, Dumduma, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751019, India
2Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Odisha, India
3Divisional Forest Office, Jharsuguda Forest Division, Jhrasuguda, Odisha, India
*Corresponding Author Email: himanshu.palei@gmail.com
Received 23th November 2023, accepted 19th March 2024
Abstract: The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is an apex predator in aquatic ecosystems. The species is found in the Himalayas along the northern part of India, extending from the northwest to the northeast, as well as in the Western Ghats and central India. Due to a lack of detailed information on its biology, the Eurasian otter is considered one of the lesser-known species in India. We report the occurrence of the Eurasian otter in the Hirakud reservoir of Odisha, India. Further research, monitoring, and awareness campaigns for local stakeholders are necessary to design effective conservation strategies for the species.
Keywords: Eurasian otter, rescue, Mahanadi River, Jharsuguda forest division, Odisha, central India
INTRODUCTION
Effective conservation of a species requires a sound understanding of its distribution, habitat preferences, and other ecological requirements (Lambeck, 1997). The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), classified as "Near threatened" by the IUCN, is one of the least studied otter species in India. It is one of the most widely distributed Palaearctic mammals, with a geographical range from Ireland in Western Europe to the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Asia, and from the Arctic region to North Africa, as far south as Sumatra and Indonesia in Southeast Asia (Mason and Macdonald, 1986). The species is now recovering in many parts of its range after suffering a substantial decline in Europe (Roos et al., 2015; Duplaix and Savage, 2018). The species is vulnerable to urbanization, pollution, poaching, and dam construction; and is also listed in Appendix I of CITES. The Eurasian otter lives in a wide range of freshwater habitats, including rivers, streams, canals, lakes, marshes, deltas, and artificial reservoirs.
The Eurasian otter in India is distributed north of the Ganges River, throughout the Himalayas and northeast region, and along the Odisha coast up to Madras and south India (Hussain, 1999). Historically, the species was considered absent from central India (Pocock, 1941; Prater, 1971). However, recent studies have recorded the Eurasian otter in various regions such as the Chenab catchment and Bhagirathi Basin in the western Himalayas (Pal et al. 2021; Singh et al. 2023), Tawang district and Pakke tiger reserve of East Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh of the eastern Himalayas (Bhattacharya et al. 2019; Borker et al. 2022), Balaghat forest circle and Satpura tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, and Kathghora forest division of Chhattisgarh of central India (Jena et al., 2016; Joshi et al., 2016; Talegaonkar et al., 2021; Suraj et al. 2022), the Anamalai Hills in Tamil Nadu of the Western Ghats (Mudappa et al., 2018), Sundargarh district in western Odisha (Palei et al. 2022), and Chilika Lake on the eastern coast of Odisha (Adhya and Dey, 2020) (Table 1, Fig. 1).
| Table 1: Recent records of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in India | ||
| Sl. No. | Locations | References |
| 1 | Upper Indus River, Ladakh | Jamwal et al. (2016) |
| 2 | Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh | Jena et al. (2016) |
| 3 | Satpura Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh | Joshi et al. (2016) |
| 4 | Anaimalai Hills, Tamil Nadu | Mudappa et al. (2018) |
| 5 | Nyamjang Chu River, Arunachal Pradesh | Bhattacharya et al. (2019) |
| 6 | Chilika Lake, Odisha | Adhya et al. (2020) |
| 7 | Mangan, Sikkim | Khatiwara et al. (2020) |
| 8 | Bhagirathi Basin, Uttarakhand | Pal et al. (2021) |
| 9 | Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh | Uikey et al. (2021) |
| 10 | Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh | Borker et al. (2022) |
| 11 | Sundargarh Forest Division, Odisha | Palei et al. (2022) |
| 12 | Korba & Kathagora Forest Division, Chhattisgarh | Suraj et al. (2022) |
| 13 | Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala | Mohan et al. (2023) |
| 14 | Chenab Catchment, Jammu & Kashmir | Singh et al. (2023) |
| NB: Sl numbers of locations correspond with numbers in Figure 1. | ||
OBSERVATION
On March 5th, 2022, a Eurasian otter was rescued from Palasada village (21.768363° N, 83.602356° E, altitude 221 m) in the Jharsuguda forest division of Odisha, India (Fig. 1, 2 and 3). The otter was a sub-adult male. The otter was identified by its pronounced muzzle, zigzag, or "W"-shaped naked rhinarium and cone-shaped tail. The animal appeared healthy with no observed internal or external injuries. The following day, the Eurasian otter was released back into the Hirakud reservoir, which is 4 km away from the village where it was rescued. Recently, Palei et al. (2022) reported the presence of Eurasian otters in the Sundargarh district of western Odisha, approximately 60 km from our current location, indicating an expansion from their previously documented geographic range. During the survey, we encountered several otter spraints and footprints along the reservoir bank. Informal discussions with villagers confirmed the presence of different species of otters of in the reservoir area. However, based on the otter signs observed, we were unable to confirm the presence of other otter species such as the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea) and smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), which have been reported in different parts of the state (Mohapatra et al., 2014; Debata and Palei, 2020; Palei et al., 2020; Palei et al., 2023a). It is worth noting that a recent study by Palei et al. (2023b) reported the presence of smooth-coated otters near the Hirakud reservoir.
The Hirakud reservoir is a major man-made lake constructed between 1948 and 1956 across the Mahanadi River, one of the largest rivers in India. The reservoir serves multiple purposes, including irrigation, hydropower generation, and flood control. The reservoir covers an area of 743 km2, with a length of approximately 55 km, and has a total storage capacity of 8.1 billion cubic meters, making it world's longest earthen dam. On October 12th, 2021, the reservoir was declared a Ramsar Site, and it has also been accorded the status of an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) along with the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary, supporting 112 water and water-dependent birds, including several threatened and endangered species (Nair et al. 2014). Therefore, the Hirakud reservoir is an important ecological site in the region. The habitat along the banks of the Hirakud reservoir comprises a mosaic of diverse ecological zones. These include forested areas adjacent to the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, open grasslands or scrublands in drier sections of the reservoir banks, and marshy areas found in low-lying or inundated zones. Aquatic vegetation and floating plants are observed in areas where water levels fluctuate.
Systematic surveys are required to monitor the status and distribution of the Eurasian otter population and any other otter species in the Hirakud reservoir. This will provide valuable information for the management of interventions and targeted conservation actions. The recent increase in the occurrence of Eurasian otters in various parts of Odisha and India is concerning, and there is a need for awareness-raising programs, particularly for the local communities and forest departments, who may occasionally identify the species.
Acknowledgments - We are thankful to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Odisha Forest Department and Divisional Forest Officer, Jharsuguda Forest Division for supporting the study.
REFERENCES
Adhya, T., Dey, P. (2020). First record of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from Chilika lagoon: a Ramsar site situated on the East coast of India. OTTER the Journal of the International Otter Survival Fund, 6: 49-55. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366928800
Bhattacharya, M., Watham, T. and Gopi, G.V. (2019). Photographic Records of Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra Linnaeus, 1758) from Nyamjang Chu River, Arunachal Pradesh, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 36(2): 103-109. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume36/Bhattacharya_et_al_2019.html
Borker, A., Gogi, K., Krupa, H., Savage, M. and Bhardwaj, N. (2022). Otter Survey in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas of India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 39(1): 29-38. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume39/Borker_et_al_2022.html
Debata, S., Palei, H.S. (2020). An updated checklist of mammals of Odisha, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12(10): 16219-16229. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.6025.12.10.16219-16229
Duplaix, N., and Savage, M. (2018). The Global Otter Conservation Strategy. IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group, Salem, Oregon, USA. https://www.otterspecialistgroup.org/osg-newsite/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IUCN-Otter-Report-On-Line-SP.pdf
Hussain, S.A. (1999). Status of otter conservation in India, ENVIS Bulletin on Wildlife & Protected Areas. Wildlife Institute of India. 2(2): 92-97.
Jamwal, P., Takpa, J., Chandan, P., Savage, M. (2016). First systematic survey for otter (Lutra lutra) in Ladakh, Indian trans Himalayas. IUCN/SCC Otter Spec. Group Bull., 33(1): 79-85. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume33/Jamwal_et_al_2016.html
Jena, J., Bhargava, D., Borah, J., Dey, S. (2016). Notes on the occurrence of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra l.) in the forest of Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, India. IUCN SCC Otter Spec. Group Bull., 33(2): 59-63. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume33/Jena_et_al_2016.html
Joshi, A.S, Tumsare, V.M, Nagar, A.K, Mishra, A.K, Pariwakam, M.P. (2016). Photographic records of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra from the Central Indian Landscape. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 33(2): 73-78. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume33/Joshi_et_al_2016.html
Khatiwara, S., Bhutia, K.C. (2020). A Distribution Survey for Otters in Sikkim, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 37 (4): 212 - 218. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume37/Khatiwara_Bhutia_2020.pdf
Lambeck R.J. (1997). Focal Species: a multi-species umbrella for nature conservation. Conserv. Biol., 11(4): 849–856. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1997.96319.x
Mason, C.F., Macdonald, S.M. (1986). Otters: Ecology and Conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. ISBN: 978-0521307161
Mohan, S.K., Nath, L.R., Subin, K.S., Govindankutty, S.K., Nameer, P.O. (2023). Recent record of Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Mustellidae) from Kerala part of the Western Ghats, India and an insight into the behaviour and habitat preferences. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 15(12): 24352–24356. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8505.15.12.24352-24356
Mohapatra, P.M., Palei, H.S., Hussain, S.A. (2014). Occurrence of Asian small-clawed otter Aonyx cinereus in Eastern India. Current Science, 107(3): 367-370. https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/107/03/0367.pdf
Mudappa, D., Prakash, N., Pawar, P., Srinivasan, K., Ram, M.S., Kittur, S., Umapathy, G. (2018). First record of Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra in the Anamalai Hills, Southern Western Ghats, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 35(1): 47-56. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume35/Mudappa_et_al_2018.html
Nair, M.V., Panda, S. and Pradhan, A.K. (2014). Hirakud wetlands, Odisha: A little known refuge and potential IBA for wintering waterfowl, pp. 186-201. In: Gopi, G.V. and Hussain, S.A. (eds.). Waterbirds of India. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, p. 368.
Pal, R., Sharma, A., Dubey, V.K., Bhattacharya, T., Johnson, J.A., Sivakumar, K., and Sathyakumar, S. (2021). A rare photographic record of Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra with a note on its habitat from the Bhagirathi Basin, western Himalaya, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 13(13): 20072-20077. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.6937.13.13.20072-20077
Palei, H.S., Mohapatra, P.P., Hussain, S.A. (2023a). Habitat selection and diet of the Asian small-clawed otter in Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India. Écoscience, 30(1): 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/11956860.2023.2165020
Palei, N.C., Palei, H.S., Rath, S., Rath, B.P., Mishra, A.K. (2022). Photographic record of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758) in Odisha, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 39(2): 102-109. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume39/Palei_et_al_2022.html
Palei, N.C., Rath, B.P., Palei, H.S., Acharya, B.P. (2020). Population Status and Activity Pattern of Smooth-Coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) in Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha, Eastern India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 37(4): 205–211. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume37/Palei_et_al_2020.html
Palei, N.C., Rath, B.P., Patra, L.K., Ghosh, B. (2023b). First Photographic Records of Smooth-Coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) in Jharsuguda Forest Division, Odisha, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 40(4): 176–182. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume40/Palei_et_al_2023.html
Pocock, R.I. (1941). The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. II. Taylor and Francis, London. p. 503.
Prater, S.H. (1971). The Book of Indian Animals. 3rd edition. B. N. H. S., Bombay, India. ISBN: 9780195621693
Roos, A., Loy, A., de Silva, P., Hajkova, P., Zemanová, B. (2015). Lutra lutra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T12419A21935287. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015- 2.RLTS.T12419A21935287.en
Singh, D., Thakar, A. and Sharma, N. (2023). On the occurrence of Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Neeru stream of Chenab catchment, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 15(2): 22567–22573. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8082.15.2.22567-22573
Suraj, M., Ahmed, M., Basak, K., Sarathi, J., Pandey, P., and Khelwar, A. (2022). First Record of Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) from Chhattisgarh, Central India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 39 (4): 229 – 235. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume39/Suraj_et_al_2022.html
Talegaonkar, R., Salaria, S., Bhargava, D., Jena, J., Rahul, S.K., Dhamorikar, A., and Chanchani, P. (2021). Habitat use by the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra Linnaeus 1758) in a Non-Protected Area of Madhya Pradesh, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 38(4): 217-227. https://www.iucnosgbull.org/Volume38/Talegaonkar_et_al_2021.html
Uikey, S.K. 2021. First Photographic Record of Eurasian Otter (Lutra Lutra) From Kanha National Park (M.P.) India. International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies, 8(9): 7-9. https://www.ijiras.com/2021/Vol_8-Issue_9/paper_2.pdf
Résumé: Présence de la Loutre Eurasienne (Lutra lutra) dans le Réservoir d’Hirakud en Inde : Un Site Ramsar et un des plus longs Barrages en Terre du Monde<
La loutre eurasienne (Lutra lutra) est un prédateur au sommet des écosystèmes aquatiques. L’espèce se rencontre dans l’Himalaya, le long de la partie nord de l’Inde, s’étendant du nord-ouest au nord-est, ainsi que dans les Ghâts occidentaux et le centre de l’Inde. En raison d’un manque d’informations détaillées sur sa biologie, la loutre eurasienne est considérée comme l’une des espèces les moins connues en Inde. Nous signalons la présence de la loutre eurasienne dans le réservoir d’Hirakud à Odisha, en Inde. Des recherches, un suivi et des campagnes de sensibilisation supplémentaires auprès des acteurs locaux sont nécessaires afin de concevoir des stratégies de conservation efficaces pour l’espèce.
Revenez au dessus
Resumen: Ocurrencia de la Nutria Eurasiática (Lutra lutra) en el Reservorio Hirakud, India: Un Sitio Ramsar y Una de las Represas de Tierra más Largas del Mundo
La comunicación química juega un rol importante en la selección de pareja, la territorialidad, la guarda de los recuLa nutria Eurasiática (Lutra lutra) es un predador tope en los ecosistemas acuáticos. La especie se encuentra en los Himalayas, a lo largo de la porción norte de India, extendiéndose de noroeste a noreste, así como en los Ghats Occidentales y en India Central. Debido a la falta de información detallada sobre su biología, la nutria Eurasiática es considerada una de las especies menos conocidas de la India. Informamos de la ocurrencia de nutria Eurasiática en el reservorio Hirakud de Odisha, India. Son necesarias ulteriores investigaciones, monitoreo, y campañas de concientización de los actores locales, para diseñar estrategias efectivas de conservación de la especie..
Vuelva a la tapa
ସାରାାଂଶ: ହିରାକୁଦ ଜଳାଶୟରେ ୟୁରାସିଆନ ଓଧର (ଲୁଟ୍ରା ଲୁଟ୍ରା) ଉପସ୍ଥିତି: ଯାହାକି ଏକ ରାମସାର ସ୍ଥଳ ଏବଂ ବିଶ୍ୱର ଏକ ଦୀର୍ଘତମ ମୃତ୍ତିକା ବନ୍ଧ
ୟୁରାସିଆନ ଓଧ (ଲୁଟ୍ରା ଲୁଟ୍ରା) ଜଳଜୀବ ପରିସଂସ୍ଥାର ଏକ ପ୍ରମୁଖ ଶିକାରୀ ଅଟେ। ଏହି ପ୍ରଜାତି ଭାରତର ଉତ୍ତର ଅଞ୍ଚଳରେ ହିମାଳୟ ପର୍ବତମାଳାରେ, ଉତ୍ତର ପଶ୍ଚିମରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି ଉତ୍ତର ପୂର୍ବ ଅଞ୍ଚଳ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଏବଂ ଏହା ସହିତ ପଶ୍ଚିମଘାଟ ପର୍ବତମାଳା ଏବଂ ମଧ୍ୟ-ଭାରତରେ ମିଳେ। ଏହାର ଜୀବବିଜ୍ଞାନ ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀୟ ସୂଚନାର ଅଭାବ ହେତୁ, ୟୁରାସିଆନ ଓଧ ଭାରତର ସବୁଠାରୁ କମ୍ ଜଣା ଯାଇଥିବା ପ୍ରଜାତିଗୁଡ଼ିକ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ଗଣାଯାଏ। ଆମେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ହିରାକୁଦ୍ ଜଳାଶୟରେ ଏଉରେସିଆନ୍ ଓଟର୍ର ସନ୍ନିହିତ ରହିବାର ସୂଚନା ଦେଇଛୁ। ପ୍ରଜାତିର ପ୍ରତିରକ୍ଷା ଯୋଜନା ଆକାର ଦେବା ପାଇଁ ଅଧିକ ଗବେଷଣା, ନିରୀକ୍ଷଣ ଏବଂ ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ହିତଧାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସଚେତନତା ଅଭିଯାନ ଆବଶ୍ୟକ।
ଆରମ୍ଭକୁ ଫେରନ୍ତୁ |