N O T E F R O M T H E E D I T O R - Otter Specialist Group

IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 25(1) 2008A R T I C L EA WORKING REVIEW OF THE HAIRY-NOSED OTTER (Lutra sumatrana)Lesley WRIGHT 1Annette OLSSON 2Budsabong KANCHANASAKA 31 International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF), Broadford, Isle of Skye, SCOTLAND.e-mail: l.c.wright@rl.ac.uk2 Conservation International, P.O.Box 1356, Phnom Penh,CAMBODIA.e-mail: a.olsson@conservation.org3 Wildlife Research Division, Forest Technical Bureau, Royal Forest Department, Paholoyothin rd.,Chatujak, Chatujak, 10900 Bangkok, THAILAND. e-mail: kbudsabong@yahoo.com(received 26 th April 2008, accepted 6 th August 2008)Citation: Wright, LC, Olsson, A and Kanchanasaka, B (2008). A Working Review of the Hairy-Nosed Otter (Lutra sumatrana).IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 25 (1): 38 - 59Abstract: The hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) is one of the rarest and least-knownof the 13 otter species. A review of current knowledge about this species, its historicaland current known range and the threats facing it, derived from both the publishedliterature and current ongoing investigations is presented. The future for this species ispoor, with large-scale habitat degradation and hunting for the illegal skin tradeassaulting the tiny and fragmented populations at utterly unsustainable levels.Immediate and urgent actions to save this species from extinction in the very nearfuture are recommended.Keywords: Hairy-nosed otter; Lutra sumatrana, skin trade, poaching, threatsINTRODUCTIONThis paper is an attempt to synthesise field work and literature reviews to givesome idea of the current situation of the Hairy-Nosed Otter (Lutra sumatrana), inorder to give a basis for future conservation decisions. It covers the physicalappearance of this animal, what we know about behaviour and diet, an indication ofits former range and habitat use, and what we currently know of its range and use of- 38 -