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Photographs confirmed the presence of an Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Nepal in November 2024—the first photographic evidence there in 185 years, according to a 2025 account by Shrestha and colleagues. The record documents one juvenile, not a recovered or secure population.
What was found in Nepal?
The animal was a juvenile Asian small-clawed otter, a species often described as the world’s smallest otter. A Forest Officer shared photographs and video with otter researchers in Nepal, who sent the material to members of the IUCN Otter Specialist Group for confirmation. The resulting account appeared in the group’s bulletin in January 2025.
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The authors describe the sighting as the first photographic evidence of the species in Nepal in 185 years. The previous record they cite dates to 1839; during the long gap, the species was sometimes considered potentially extinct in the country. The 185-year figure describes the interval between records, not a measure of population change.
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The juvenile was sighted at the confluence of the Rangun Khola and Puntara Khola in Parsuram Municipality, Dadeldhura District, in far-western Nepal. The paper gives the location as 29.132819° N, 80.335374° E, at an elevation of 401 metres.
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After the sighting, the animal was cared for at the Forest Office for a week and then released into the wild.
Does this mean otters have recovered or are secure in Nepal?
No. The photographs establish that at least one Asian small-clawed otter was present at the site. They do not show how many otters live in Nepal, whether the population is growing or declining, or how widely the species is distributed. The authors infer that a juvenile may indicate other otters nearby, but the note reports no population estimate, breeding rate, range estimate, or national trend.
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A confirmed sighting and a population assessment answer different questions. This was a documented observation, not a systematic survey of waterways across Nepal. It therefore cannot establish that the species is no longer at risk in the country.
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The location was near human settlements and at the edge of leasehold forest. The paper records stone and sand mining, washing, bathing, and fishing at the site. It also identifies deforestation, habitat degradation, overgrazing, non-point-source pollution, and agricultural runoff as broader threats to aquatic life in the area.
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These are habitat pressures and conservation concerns described by the authors; the account does not demonstrate that each one caused a decline in this otter or quantify its effect on the species.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What research and conservation work did the authors recommend?
Shrestha and colleagues call for a national otter survey, ecological and phylogenetic research on the species, and conservation measures at priority sites. These recommendations reflect the limits of what one photographic record can establish; the note does not report that a national survey or program has since been completed.
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The primary account is Shrestha et al., “Rediscovery of the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Nepal after 185 years,” in the IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin, Volume 42, Issue 1 (January 2025). In an interview with Scroll, lead author Mohan Bikram Shrestha said: “After years of speculation about its presence in Nepal, we can finally confirm that the small-clawed otter lives on in the country.”
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