Smooth-coated Otter

The smooth-coated otter is the largest otter species of South and Southeast Asia, named for its short, sleek fur that lies flatter than that of other otters. It lives along rivers, lakes, and mangrove coasts from Iraq and India across to Indonesia, hunting fish in coordinated family groups that can include a dozen or more individuals. Habitat loss, wetland drainage, and the illegal pet trade have made it Vulnerable, and it is one of the few otter species known to fish cooperatively alongside human fishers in parts of India and Bangladesh.