Status of Otter in Southern Indian States: An Updated Report - 1999

Status Report - 8

- V.NAGULU, C.SRINIVASULU and
 V.VASUDEVA RAO 
Wildlife Biology Section
Department of Zoology
Osmania University
Hyderabad – 500 007

Since last decade, we have been carrying out surveys to document the distribution patterns of otters in south India. Through this paper we attempt to summarize the status of otters in south India with particular reference to Andhra Pradesh. In southern India, otters are represented by three species namely, the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra, the smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata and the small-clawed otter Aonyx cinerea (Jerdon 1867, Pocock 1941, Nagulu 1996). Our studies indicate that the otter distributional range in south India is restricted to the east and west coasts, hilly terrain of the Western Ghats and also sporadically elsewhere on the mainland of the peninsula.

State-wise Distribution of Otters

Karnataka

A stronghold of the smooth-coated otter in Karnataka is Hampi. Besides, otters are also reported from other areas as in the hilly terrain of Coorg, especially at Sirimangala where Eurasian otter coexists with the small-clawed otter. Otters were also collected from Virajpet and Haleri from the same belt (Pocock 1941). There exist no further reports of otters from elsewhere, but we believe that further surveys along the Protected Area networks in major river basins are needed to confirm the present status.

Tamil Nadu

The small-clawed otter has been reported from the hilly areas of Nilgiri, Palani and Annamalai. The Eurasian otter has been reported from Moyar Project and also from the Pembar river basin. On the east coast, the Eurasian otter has been recorded from the Vellar-Coleroon estuary system (Umapathy & Durairaj 1995).

Kerala

-----------------
The future of 
otters in 
southern 
India depends 
on judicious 
conservation-
oriented 
management 
inputs. 
Checking of 
habitat loss, 
over 
exploitation 
of aquatic 
resources, curbing 
biotic interference 
and excessive 
aquaculture, 
and promoting 
awareness amongst 
the local people 
will certainly 
go a long 
way in 
conserving otter.
-----------------

Our surveys in Kerala revealed that compared to the past records otters during the present time, are distributed in few pockets (Nagulu et al. 1997). Jerdon (1867) reported all the three species from the backwaters of Tellicherry and Calicut. Today, the Periyar river basin area has a thriving population of otters. The Eurasian otter is common in Eravikulam and Parambikulam areas, and also along the Peechi-Vazhani complex and Calicut. It is confirmed that all the three species of otters are found positively in Kerala, but their distribution is rather sparse and patchy.

Andhra Pradesh

Mostly the smooth-coated otter occurs in Andhra Pradesh. Like all other south Indian states this species is more or less patchily distributed in this state. We have reported smooth-coated otter to be present in 10 of 23 districts of the state (Nagulu et al. 1998). A stronghold of its population exists in mangrove and estuarine habitat of Godavari river, especially in and around the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Kolleru lake and Mantralayam. The status and distribution pattern of the smooth-coated otter in Andhra Pradesh is depicted in Table 1.

 

Table 1. Status of smooth-coated otter Lutra perspicillata in Andhra Pradesh, India.

District

Site 

Habitat

No. of  Group

Group Size

Population status

East Godavari

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thallarevu

M & E

8

3 - 7

AB

 

Plantation

M & E

15

2 - 8

AB

 

Metlapalem

M & E

11

3 - 12

AB

 

Sarihaddu Kaluva

M & E

14

2 - 10

AB

 

Dindodivari Canal

M & E

13

2 - 12

AB

 

Kandikuppam

M & E 

22

4 - 16

AB

 

Biccavole

T

3

2 - 4

SP

 

Ravulapalem

RB

4

3 - 12

SP

 

Narsapuram

T

8

2 - 8

CO

West Godavari

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adavi Kalanu

T

 

2 - 4

SP

Krishna

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intheru

E

8 - 10 

2 - 9

CO

 

Kolleru

T

10 - 20

2 - 6

AB

 

Kona

E

5 – 10

4 - 8

CO

Guntur

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nizampatnam

M & E

10 - 15

5 - 10

CO

 

Amaravathi

RB

5 - 10

3 - 5

CO

Kurnool

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manthralayam

RB

10 - 12         

5 - 8

AB

Adilabad         

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kadam

R       

10

5 - 10

CO

 

Bajpeta

RB

4 - 6

3 - 10

SP

 

Tulasipeta

RB

4 - 6

3 - 10

SP

 

Adalithimma puram

RB

4 - 7

3 - 15

CO

 

Lanja Madugu

RB

4

4 - 6

CO

 

Chennur       

RB

5

3 - 6

SP

Karimnagar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upper Manair

R

7

5 - 8

SP

 

Lower Manair

R

5

4 - 6

SP

 

Shanigaram

T

3

3 - 6

SP

 

Dharmapuri

T

3

3 - 6

SP

 

Gaderu         

T

5

2 - 4

SP

 

Mahadevpur

RB

4

2 - 6

SP

 

 

 

 

 

 

Khammam

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kinnerasani

RB

5

6 - 10

SP

Warangal

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rammapa

T

5

2 - 8

CO

 

Lakhnavaram

T

7

4 - 10

CO

 

Pakhal

T

5

2 - 8

CO

 

Eturnagaram

T

8

6 - 10

CO

Medak

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manjira         

R

5

5 - 12

CO

 

Singoor        

R

5

2 - 8

SP

Key:  M & E - Mangrove and Estuarine Habitat, T - Tank, RB - River Bank, E - Estuarine Habitat, R - Reservoir, AB = Abundant, CO = Common, SP = Sparse

The Future

Otters are under great threat as their habitats are fast depleting under the ever-escalating human pressures. The future of otters in southern India depends on judicious conservation-oriented management inputs. Checking of habitat loss, over exploitation of aquatic resources, curbing biotic interference and excessive aquaculture and creating awareness amongst the local people about the importance of otter and aquatic habitats will certainly go a long way in conserving these endangered species.

References

Jerdon, T. C. (1867) The mammals of India. Thomson College Press, Roorkee.

Nagulu, V. (1996) Status of otters in southern India. In: Santiapillai, C., Sasaki, H. and Ando, M. Proc. IUCN/SSC Asian Otter Specialist Group Meeting in Thailand 1996. Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, March 15-16, 1996. Otter Research Group, Japan. 32-44 pp.

Nagulu, V., Vasudeva Rao, V., Srinivasulu, C. & Ramana Rao, J. V. (1997) A preliminary survey of otters on the Malabar coast and the adjoining hill reservoirs and streams. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 14(1), 30-34.

Nagulu, V., Vasudeva Rao, V., Satyanarayan, D. & Srinivasulu, C. (1998) Otter records and otter conservation perspectives in Andhra Pradesh, India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 15(1), 31-37.

Pocock, R. I. (1941) Fauna of British India: Mammals. Vol. II. Taylor & Francis Ltd., London.

Umapathy, G. & Durairaj, G. (1995) Preliminary studies on the feeding ecology of the otter (Lutra lutra) at Pitchavaram East Coast of India. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 11, 31-33.

P.S. In 1991 the editor examined an otter skin collected from the local fishermen around Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary and identified it as Eurasian otter. According to fishermen the specimen was from Manjira Reservoir area.