There is a dramatic and troubling surge in wild animals being kept as pets. Across Southeast Asia, the latest “otter craze” is being fueled by social media influencers and interactive otter cafes in Japan.
An undercover investigation by World Animal Protection, being released today, reveals the illegal hunting and trafficking, as well as increased attempts to breed otters across Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia to satisfy a growing international demand for the animal. The investigation raises the following concerns:
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Otter cubs are snatched from their parents in the wild. Their fiercely protective parents are shot or electrocuted, or their nests are smoked out, so poachers can take their cubs
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Three out of four otter species found in Southeast Asia, including the Asian small-clawed otter, are considered to be at-risk of extinction in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
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An organized network of farmers, hunters, collectors, dealers and exporters source otter cubs from the wild and export them through their networks
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Evidence has been found of laundering through captive breeding facilities in at least one location. Sources have indicated similar efforts elsewhere.
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There has been reported incidents of suggested involvement of law enforcement and government officials in facilitating the cruel trade. One report from Indonesia stated that a government worker requested surgeries on otters to remove the gland that causes them to smell to make them more appealing as pets.