Smooth-Coated Otter

14.12.2023

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Why in the news?

The Kawal Tiger Reserve is evolving into a thriving haven for an intriguing aquatic species, the smooth-coated otter, referred to as “Neeti Pilli” in Telugu.

About Smooth-Coated Otter:

• It is a species of otter, the only extant representative of the genus Lutrogale.

Scientific Name: Lutrogale perspicillata

Distribution:

• They are found throughout much of southern Asia, from India eastward.
• There is also an isolated population found in the marshes of Iraq.

Habitat:

• They are mostly found in lowlands, coastal mangrove forests, peat swamp forests, freshwater wetlands, large forested rivers, lakes, and rice paddies.
• Some build permanent burrows near water with an underwater entrance and a tunnel that leads to a chamber above the high-water line.
• Although adapted for water, smooth-coated otters are equally comfortable on land and can travel long distances overland in search of suitable habitat.

Features:

• They are the largest otter in Southeast Asia. They weigh 7-11 kg as adults and can be up to 1.3 m long.
• As its name indicates, the fur of this species is smoother and shorter than that of other otters.
• The fur is light to dark brown dorsally and light brown to almost Gray ventrally.
• They have short, tightly packed under fur and longer, water-repellent guard hairs.
• They are strong swimmers and hunt in groups. When fishing, they travel in a V-formation going upstream.

Conservation Status:

IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

About the Kawal Tiger Reserve

• Kawal Tiger Reserve is located at Adilabad district in Telangana state of India.
• The Government of India declared Kawal wildlife sanctuary as Tiger Reserve in 2012.
• The Kawal wildlife sanctuary was established in 1965 and later declared as the Protected Area (PA) in 1999 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Location:

• It is located in the north-eastern part of Telangana, with the Godavari River on one side and the Maharashtra border on the other.
• It forms part of the Deccan peninsula-central highlands.

Rivers: The reserve is the catchment for the rivers Godavari and Kadam, which flow towards the south of the sanctuary.

Corridor: It has connectivity to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra in the North and to the Indravati Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh towards its north-eastern side.

Vegetation: Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest.

Habitat and Flora

• The reserve’s habitat is incredibly diverse, encompassing dense forests, grasslands, open areas, rivers, streams, and water bodies.
•  Its dominant vegetation is Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest, characterized by extensive Teak and Bamboo stands.
•  Apart from these, the reserve houses a rich variety of flora, with over 673 recorded plant species, including Anogeissus latifolia, Mitragyna parviflora, Terminalia crenulata, Terminalia arjuna, Boswellia serrata, and many more.

Fauna:

• Kawal Tiger Reserve boasts a remarkable array of wildlife, typical of the Deccan Plateau.
• Some of the major wild animals that call Kawal their home include nilgai, chousinga, chinkara, black buck, sambar, spotted deer, wild dog, wolf, jackal, fox, tiger, leopard, and jungle cat.
• Among them, the tiger has historically held a position of eminence, symbolizing the apex predator and a crucial indicator of a healthy ecosystem.

                                               Source:The new indian Express