Asian small-clawed otters have a cult following on the internet, particularly in Japan. However, researchers recently found evidence of extensive, behind-the-scenes poaching driven by their popularity.
What’s happening?
Mongabay looked at new research published in Conservation Science and Practice, focused on Asian small-clawed otters in Japan’s controversial otter cafes.
Concerns about the species aren’t new — in 2019, Stuff.co.nz published an exhaustive piece questioning the ethics of Japan’s otter cafes, documenting unsuitable conditions and visibly distressed otters.
Photo Credit: iStock
Researchers from France, Thailand, and Japan suspected poaching played a role in the bustling otter trade. They obtained DNA samples from 81 Asian small-clawed otters in Japan, 43 of which were from zoos, 33 from animal cafes, and five from otters intercepted at the border.
Using genetic markers, the team contrasted the samples with those of otters from “the southern region of Thailand, which is a suspected poaching hotspot.”
Their suspicions were validated, and their findings were striking.
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“Based on the identical haplotypes, most otters (94%) kept at cafes originated from Thailand, compared to around 60% from those kept at zoos and aquariums,” researchers determined, per Conservation Science and Practice.
“Actually, there’s a lot more Thai otters in Japan than we previously thought,” said conservation biologist and study co-author Worata Klinsawat, per Mongabay.
Why is otter poaching a problem?
“Poaching and illegal wildlife trade are among the key drivers of biodiversity loss and biosecurity crises worldwide,” the team said, per Conservation Science and Practice.
The practice of poaching — defined by National Geographic as “the illegal trafficking and killing of wildlife” — is a global problem with far-reaching consequences in terms of conservation and habitat, both human and animal.
Researchers said in Conservation Science and Practice that poaching “threatens the species’ survival and population viability of otters.” The Asian small-clawed otter was designated “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Japanese river otter was officially deemed “extinct” in 2012.
Dwindling populations of native flora and fauna wreak havoc on local ecosystems, creating a domino effect on habitats and disrupting the food chain.
What can be done about otter poaching?
Donating to conservation and wildlife protection organizations is one way to directly mitigate harmful behaviors like animal poaching.
However, the most effective approach is a simple one, according to one researcher.
“It’s natural to feel affectionate toward otters, but we need to leave them in the wild so that they can fulfill their ecological role, for them and for us,” Klinsawat said, per Mongabay.
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