Smooth-coated otters swimming
Smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) swimming in water. Smooth-coated otters are highly social animals that often live in large family groups, with some families comprising up to 25 members in the wild. They spend significant time both in water and on land, and their diet is varied, including fish, frogs, crayfish, small birds, and mammals. Most smooth-coated otters are found in Southeast Asia. Since 1996, they have been classified as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Conservation efforts are crucial for this declining species, as they face threats from habitat loss, wetland pollution, and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. Photographed at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia.