Though they may look cuddly, otters are known to have a mean bite and are extremely territorial. AFP File Photo
KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh said it is considering working with the tourism sector to conduct detailed study on species of otters, their habitats and population to market them as a tourist attraction.
He said this when told that otters have been sighted in several places around the city, including the Sarawak river near Padungan, prompting some to post about the sightings on Facebook.
Retired biological anthropologist Jerry Drawhorn posted pictures of otters spotted in downtown Kuching.
Otters are not rare but they are a protected mammal in the state.
Suggesting that otters were common in Sarawak, Len Talif said they could also be seen roaming around Hole 11 of the Damai Golf course in Santubong here.
“They are very playful mammals and can be found alone or in groups in rivers and natural lakes throughout Sarawak up to an altitude of 1,300 metres on the Usun Apau,” he said.
Otters may look soft and cuddly, but they have strong teeth and a powerful bite, and therefore are classified as a dangerous animal. Because there are many in Balai Ringin area, the state constituency is named after the mammal – ‘ringin’ means otter in the Iban language.
An otters’ diet includes crabs, other crustaceans and molluscs and their habitats are where there is permanent water and some tree cover, including the coast, large rivers, small streams in the hills, ponds and lakes, said Len Talif.
Extremely territorial, otters have the tendency when confronted to dive and flee. They are also aggressive when defending their young or a food source from a perceived threat, he said.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Forestry Corporation General manager Oswald Braken Tisen said the presence of otters only went to show rivers in Sarawak are getting more habitable for wildlife.
For sustainability’s sakes it would be good for the community to make sure otters are protected, he said adding, there should also be greater public awareness on wildlife conservation.
Oswald said population record of otters per se is not necessary at the moment but the SFC do keep general wildlife for monitoring purposes involving all protected animals.
“All otters are protected in Sarawak,” he said.