Do you know?
The last Wednesday of every May is World Otter Day, so this year's 25 May is the 9th World Otter Day.
As the flagship species of the river ecosystem, the otter is one of the most noticeable animals. Its cute appearance has attracted the attention of many people.
According to Xinhua News Agency, otters refer to animals in the subfamily Carnivorous otter family, including a total of 7 genera and 13 species. Otters are fully adapted to aquatic life, preferring to eat crustaceans such as fish, shrimp and crabs, as well as birds, amphibians and small mammals.
Otters are the top predators in freshwater and offshore ecosystems, which in turn affects the stability of the entire ecosystem. At the same time, otters are very sensitive to environmental damage and pollution in waters, and are indicator species for assessing the health of freshwater ecology, and are also flagship species for aquatic environmental protection such as rivers, wetlands, and lakes.
In addition, the number of otters is decreasing sharply due to habitat destruction, fur poaching and other reasons, and has been listed on the IUCN 2015 Red List of Threatened Species, and is currently a national second-level key protected wildlife.
Do you know all this little knowledge about otters?
In order to let everyone know more about this interesting creature, Zhou Zhijun sorted out 7 pieces of knowledge about otters to share with everyone ↓
So, where are otters distributed in China?
Otters are widely distributed in all continents except Antarctica and Oceania, among which the Eurasian otter, the Asian small-clawed otter and the river otter are distributed in China.
△ Asian small-clawed otter, source: Visual China
Located at the mouth of the Pearl River, Shenzhen has a well-developed water system and was once one of the traditional distribution areas of otters. In the "Report on the Investigation and Protection of Otters in China" published in 2019, it was proposed that after 2000, only Zhuhai, Macao and Hong Kong had otter records in the entire Pearl River Estuary. Shenzhen's earlier otter records date back to the investigation of mammals on Neilingling Island from 1997 to 1998.
However, due to threats such as habitat degradation and loss, otters disappeared in Shenzhen for more than 20 years.
According to the news that @i visit shenzhen, until October 25, 2020, the Shenzhen "Futian Mangrove Forest Ecological Park" found otters for the first time.
From October to April, otters appear on average every 20 days. According to reports, the reason why otters will appear frequently in ecological parks since 2020 is most likely due to the significant improvement of the "otter friendliness" of the Shenzhen River. The treatment of the Shenzhen River has greatly improved the water quality, and the mangroves and fish pond wetlands along the Shenzhen Bay have been protected and valued, becoming an important habitat for otters.
If we don't take action, one day this lovely creature will eventually leave us. Everything in the world is interdependent and inextricably linked. Protecting otters, protecting the otter's living environment, is protecting other species that depend on this important environment for survival, and protecting ourselves.
Material synthesis Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai International Nature Conservation Week, Science Popularization China, @i tour to Shenzhen