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Oriental small-clawed otters at Edinburgh Zoo
Oriental small-clawed otter and pups © David Meikle

In September 2009, we received Ray, a male otter that came to us from the Longleat Safari Park in Longleat, Warminster. A female otter named Elena came to us from the New Forest Wildlife Park in Southampton in February 2010. Elena was born in 2004. She was slowly introduced to Ray, and they are now living together happily in the same enclosure. Keepers had observed the pair mating and in July 2010 Elena gave birth to a litter of three pups; two girls and one boy.

Our Oriental small-clawed otters have deluxe accommodations. In June 2002 we opened a new otter enclosure, which includes a waterfall and numerous pools where the otters spend much of their time playing and swimming. In 2003 the enclosure was featured on the prestigious Zoolex website, which is the highest accolade in international zoo design.


Our otters are fed a diet of sprats, chicks, mice and eggs daily. We also offer occasional enrichment feeds of novelty foods such as different fish, molluscs, and so on. Our otters are most active early in the morning, so get to the park early if you would like to see our otters out and about!

Where it can be found at Edinburgh ZooThe oriental small-clawed otter enclosure is in the middle of the park, just north of the Mansion House.

Oriental small-clawed otters in the wildThe range of the Oriental small-clawed otter (Amblonyx cinereus cinereus) in the wild is quite large, stretching from India through Southeast Asia and up to the Philippines, Taiwan and southern China. Their range overlaps with those of smooth-coated otters and Eurasian otters in India.

Oriental small-clawed otters inhabit fresh water and peat swamp forests, rice fields, lakes, streams, reservoirs, canals and mangrove forests.

This species is the smallest otter species in the world, and is known for its extremely agile, hand-like front paws that feature the short claws that give the species its name. These front paws allow the otters to catch and dexterously utilise many types of prey, including crab, snails, molluscs, small fish and insects. They may even prey on other small rodents, snakes and amphibians.

Oriental small-clawed otters have brown fur with a lighter underside and a greyish-white face and neck. Like other otter species, they have a powerful, rudder-like tail that propels and steers them in the water.

Although most otter species tend to be solitary, Oriental small-clawed otters live in family groups consisting of an alpha breeding pair and older offspring that help to raise the young.

The numbers of Oriental small-clawed otters in the wild are declining due to many threats, including habitat loss and destruction due to farming, as well as water contamination due to insecticides entering streams from farm runoff. Overfishing of otters’ prey and contamination of prey due to pollution are two more significant threats to this species. Due to the declining population and the many threats this species faces, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorised the Oriental small-clawed otter as Vulnerable, meaning that the species is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable


Adopt an Oriental small-clawed otter

A great way to support RZSS – buy it for yourself or as a gift for the animal lover in your life! Registered charity number: SC004064
Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park are owned by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

Edinburgh | Scotland | United Kingdom | EH12 6TS

Here's the story from the paper's website:

Mum tells of fire drama after petrol bomb attack

INVESTIGATION: Police officers on patrol in Arthur View Terrace, Danderhall, as firefighters enter the badly scorched building.

21 April 2009
By MARK McLAUGHLIN

A MUM today described how she had to run from her home with her daughter and a friend after a suspected petrol bomb attack.

Marilyn Robertson was in the lounge with her 20-year-old daughter Emma and her friend Bev Shepherd, 19, when the drama unfolded yesterday afternoon.

Police are investigating the suspicious blaze at Arthur View Terrace, Danderhall, which left the women shaken but otherwise unharmed.

Ms Robertson, 48, a sales assistant, said: "I heard a bang followed by what sounded like footsteps in the hall and I went out to take a look.

"I saw the hallway filling with smoke and there were flames outside the door so I shouted to the girls and we all ran outside."

Neighbours saw the women running screaming from the property and called the fire brigade just after 3.10pm.

Ms Shepherd, a barmaid, said: "It was a bit of shock. We weren't sure what was going on. When we got outside someone said a petrol bomb had hit the house."

Police and the fire service are investigating the blaze.

Ms Robertson said: "The police haven't said much and they'll have to do an investigation."

Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire quickly before the flames spread to the rest of the two-storey terrace.

The front door was destroyed and the front of property was blackened by the rising flames.

Although everyone in the ground floor property and the house above were evacuated before the fire engines arrived, fire crews still found time to rescue the family goldfish.

The previously unnamed goldfish has now been named Lucky and was moved from its tank in the hall inside a water jug.

Meanwhile, Ms Robertson said she had turned down the council's offer of temporary unfurnished accommodation while her home of 20 years is repaired and would be staying with family.

Police confirmed they were treating the fire as suspicious.

Officers from CID yesterday took the women to a neighbour's house, where they were questioned for around two hours on the circumstances of the fire.

A spokesman said: "Three people got out of the home and no-one was injured.

"The investigation is ongoing so it is too early to establish a cause. We are waiting for investigators to complete their examination."

Watch manager Duncan Wilson, of Newcraighall Fire Station, said: "It will be up to the fire investigation team to determine the cause. We were more concerned with putting out the fire.

"There were no persons reported when we were sent to the scene, with the occupants having escaped through the back door.

"The front porch area and hallway are extensively damaged, while there is smoke damage to the rest of the house."

A police spokesman said: "A 21-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a suspicious fire in Arthur View Terrace in Danderhall.

"Police are following a positive line of inquiry in relation to a second suspect."

The arrested man is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow