Featured Image Credit: Wildlife Alliance
By Kira Krall
Otter populations all over the world have suffered from the fur trade. Their dense, waterproof coast was (and still is) coveted by humans for its luxuriousness. Cambodian hairy-nosed otter populations sank so low that they were thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in 2008.
This small group of remaining otters face a mighty challenge: habitat loss and fragmentation. This species of otter relies on natural flooding, but humans have altered the flow of water for agriculture and development. Conservation efforts in Cambodia rely mostly on community engagement, largely in part due to the people’s strong ties to activities in hairy-nosed otter habitat and lack of funding.
Cambodia’s Tonle Sap freshwater lake provides a primary source of protein for three million people: fish. However, the forest that’s seasonally flooded by the Tonle Sap and connected Mekong River has been significantly deforested. The felled trees are primarily used for fuelwood. Each hectare of trees that remains provides 17 times more fish than a deforested area of a similar size. Less fish means less to sell which can spell disaster for communities that rely on Tonle Sap for their livelihood.
Organizations like Conservation International are taking it upon themselves to assist locals in their transition to a more sustainable lifestyle. Fish sanctuaries allow fish to breed in peace and attract them to neighboring fishing zones. Paying fishermen to report wildlife like our critically endangered hairy-nosed otter puts more eyes on the lake. Switching to fuel-efficient stoves slows the clearing of the forest.
All of these solutions are great for humans and fish, but they also help other wildlife. Otters are considered a top predator in their respective habitats; a rising otter population means that there’s plenty of resources available for everything else in that habitat. Humans are animals and aren’t exempt from nature’s balance.