Otter
Species
Genus Lutra Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) Hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) Japanese otter† (Lutra nippon) Lutra euxena† Lutra castiglionis† Lutra simplicidens† Lutra trinacriae† Genus Hydrictis Spotted-necked otter (Hydrictis maculicollis) Genus Lutrogale Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) Lutrogale robusta† Genus Lontra North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) Southern river otter (Lontra provocax) Neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis) Marine otter (Lontra felina) Genus Pteronura Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) Genus Amblonyx Asian small-clawed otter (Amblonyx cinereus) Genus Aonyx African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) Genus Enhydra Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) Enhydra reevei† Genus †Megalenhydris Genus †Sardolutra Genus †Algarolutra Genus †Cyrnaonyx Genus †Teruelictis Genus †Enhydriodon Genus †Enhydritherium Genus †Teruelictis Genus †Limnonyx Genus †Lutravus Genus †Sivaonyx Genus †Torolutra Genus †Tyrrhenolutra Genus †Vishnuonyx Genus †Siamogale The European otter (Lutra lutra), also called the Eurasian otter, inhabits Europe, most of Asia and parts of North Africa. In the British Isles, they were common as recently as the 1950s, but became rare in many areas due to the use of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, habitat loss and water pollution (they remained relatively common in parts of Scotland and Ireland). Population levels reached a low point in the 1980s, but are now recovering strongly. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan envisages the re-establishment of otters by 2010 in all the UK rivers and coastal areas they inhabited in 1960. Roadkill deaths have become one of the significant threats to the success of their re-establishment.
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