IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Abstracts
The Status of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) In Central Asia: A Literature Review
Pages 106 - 121 (Review)
Melissa Savage, Aleksey Oleynikov, Gleb Sedash, and Li Fei
The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is rare in Central Asia. Otter populations are small and fragmented and appear to be declining in most parts of the region. Diminishing freshwater resources, high human population density in river valleys, river pollution, and a weak focus on nature conservation, make the long-term survival of the species in the region highly threatened. Here, we review the available literature about the Eurasian otter from recent decades in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and far northwestern China. Central Asia can be considered a “white spot” in terms of otter research, with extremely limited available data suggesting a compelling need for further study and conservation measures.
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