Poached to the brink of extinction Because of these cafes and images of pet otters on social media, wild otters are being hunted and trafficked out of existence to satisfy growing international demand. All otter species have high metabolic rates, implying that they must consume food constantly to maintain body temperature and also function in the water. It’s the Asian small-clawed otter, the latest pet craze in Japan. It is the smallest otter species in the world and a member of the otter subfamily Lutrinae, itself part of the Mustelidae. The pet trade is mostly for Asian small-clawed otters but smooth-coated otters are also smuggled. An otter being held by the neck in a cafe in Tokyo, Japan. However multiple concerns have been raised about the animals’ welfare. Otter cafés. It's totally sad to keep an otter that’s raised by other otters without some of their own species. I'll try to give an explanation up here that will be make things clear. An otter being held by the neck in a cafe in Tokyo, Japan. By. Kyodo. The Natural Habitat of Otters. Breeds. Jul 17, 2018 Article history. A good place to start checking for information on pet otter laws is under ‘fur-bearing’ terms. By Larry … News from Japan… Otter cafes. By Sam Shepards . ; In a new documentary, British environmentalist and photojournalist Aaron Gekoski worked with World Animal Protection, an international nonprofit organisation, to investigate the state of these animals. So, when you have a pet otter, you should be extra careful when you are having visitors as there are high chances of your friends and family getting bitten by your otter. It is seriously concerning that otters are being traded in the illegal pet trade across Southeast Asia, and in Japan in particular. It also linked the boom in demand for otters as pets in Japan to a rising number of "otter cafes", adding that Japan has a long-standing global reputation as a major market for exotic pets. Situation of Pet Otters in Japan – Warning by Vets. Would it require witchcraft for an otter to stay alive like that? In addition to the ecological cost of capturing wild otters as pets, people who own pet otters may face unexpected hardships. Tokyo, Japan, 19th October 2018—a boom in demand for otters as pets in Japan, particularly the Small-clawed Otter, has been linked to rising numbers of “otter cafés”, high-profile television programmes featuring otters and celebrities, and the popularity of otter pet “superstars” on social media platforms. Conservation groups have identified the Asian small-clawed otter as a species… In Indonesia, the rare hairy-nosed otter has also been found being kept as a pet, but they are extremely difficult to look after and usually die. They create their dens by making burrows in the land near water bodies. It is a carnivore mammal under Family Mustelidae, Subfamily Lutrinae. It is a nocturnal animal that feeds on small fishes, crabs, shrimps, and various kinds of shellfishes. Related Articles. Otters are rare as pets, so you shouldn’t even rely on second-hand information from other exotic pet owners. Japan has seen an explosion in otter cafes over recent years. Poached to the brink of extinction Because of these cafes and images of pet otters on social media, wild otters are being hunted and trafficked out of existence to satisfy growing international demand. In addition to pet ownership in South East Asia, Japan is currently undergoing an ‘otter craze’ fuelled primarily by Instagram-famous pet otters who are shown off on television and social media.Otter and wild animal cafés – coffee shops that have otters on display and in some cases available for holding or petting by customers – are also part of this problem. 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