At first glance, it looks similar to other otters—sleek, semi-aquatic mammals with long bodies and webbed feet—but a closer look reveals what makes it unique: a distinctive patch of short, dense fur covering its nose, giving it a “fuzzy-nosed” look that no other otter has. Its coat is dark brown and velvety, sometimes appearing almost black when wet, with a paler underside. Its tail is strong and muscular, helping it glide gracefully through rivers, peat swamps, and mangroves. These traits, combined with its furry nose, set it apart from other otters and make it one of the most unusual members of the otter family.

Unlike the playful, widely seen smooth-coated otters or Eurasian otters, the Hairy-nosed otter is incredibly elusive. For much of the 20th century, it was believed to be possibly extinct until rediscovered in scattered locations in the early 2000s. This mystery-like quality has made it somewhat of a legend among conservationists. Its habitats are also different—it prefers slow-moving waters in peat swamp forests, flooded wetlands, and mangroves, areas that are more specialized and less disturbed compared to the habitats of other otters. This narrow preference makes it harder to find and more vulnerable to human activity.

The Hairy-nosed otter’s diet and behavior also add to its uniqueness. Like other otters, it is a carnivore, feeding mostly on fish, but it is also known to eat amphibians, water snakes, and crustaceans. Its webbed feet and streamlined body make it a fast swimmer, and it hunts with agility, easily diving and twisting underwater. Unlike sea otters that use tools or river otters that often play openly in groups, the Hairy-nosed otter tends to be more solitary and secretive, with fewer playful surface behaviors recorded.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Brunei

2020

Possibly Extant

Cambodia

2020

Indonesia

2020

Laos

2020

Presence Uncertain

Malaysia

2020

Myanmar

2020

Thailand

2020

Vietnam

2020