One of Africa’s most elusive otters, found mainly in the Congo River Basin and parts of Central Africa. Closely related to the larger African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis), it shares many traits but has some unique features that make it stand out. As its name suggests, this otter has reduced or absent claws, which is unusual among otters and reflects its highly specialized feeding style.

In size, the Congo clawless otter is medium to large compared to other otters. Its fur is dark brown and sleek, with a lighter underside, and like all otters, it has a streamlined body and muscular tail for swimming. However, its forepaws are especially distinctive—broad, strong, and clawless, with sensitive, bare fingertips. These fingertips act almost like human fingers, allowing the otter to feel, probe, and manipulate prey with remarkable dexterity.

Unlike the fish-hunting spotted-necked otter, the Congo clawless otter has a diet that relies heavily on crabs, mollusks, and other hard-shelled invertebrates. Using its sensitive paws, it searches under rocks, in mud, and along riverbeds for hidden prey, then crushes shells with its powerful jaws. This feeding specialization is a prime example of how otters adapt to their environments, and it reduces competition with fish-eating otters that share the same waterways.

The congo clawless otter is mostly nocturnal and solitary, making it one of the hardest otters to study in the wild. It forages at night in rivers, swamps, and floodplains, then retreats to dens dug into riverbanks or to natural hollows during the day. Its preference for quiet, undisturbed waters means it is rarely seen by humans, which adds to its mysterious reputation.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Angola

2020

Burundi

2020

Presence Uncertain

Cameroon

2020

Central Af. Rep.

2020

Congo-Brazzaville

2020

DR Congo (Kinshasa)

2020

Equatorial Guinea

2020

Gabon

2020

Nigeria

2020

Presence Uncertain

Rwanda

2020

Uganda

2020