Highly rare Eurasian Otter's species has been found in waterfalls in Satpura Tiger Reserve in the state. This species has never been sighted earlier on Central Indian landscape. Native of Europe, Africa and some parts of Asia, this species of Otter is found in Himalayan and remote southern parts of India. The find by Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and Wildlife Trust assumes added significance since International United Campus Network (IUCN) has included Eurasian Otter threatened species for its natural preservation.
Forest Department and WCT had installed cameras in vast area of 5800 square kilometers for the first time in Satpura Tiger Reserve and Kanha-Pench Corridor for conservation and study of environment and biodiversity. At some places in this area presence of Eurasian Otter was registered and their authentic photographs also became available through these cameras. Otter's 3 species are found in India. Its specie Smooth Coated Otter is found generally, Asian Small Clod is found in Himalayan valleys and Eastern-Western Ghats. Third species Eurasian Otter is found in Himalayan and remote southern parts of India. During camera trapping, Smooth Coated and Eurasian Otter were sighted at several places in Satpura and Kanha-Pench Corridor.
Credit of sighting of Eurasian Otter goes to relocation of villages in Satpura Tiger Reserve. The Forest Department has won multiple awards for excellent implementation of the project. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Mod also conferred an award to the project of STR this year. Otter is an amphibian animal living in both water and land. Due to relocation of villages, Otter found adequate food and security for procreation. Similarly, Otter is area-sensitive. Its staple food is fish. Average life of European Otter is 4 years and it procreates only 3-4 cubs. This area is also ideal procreation habitat of Mahasheer fish.
Kanha-Pench Corridor is spread over 16 thousand kilometers in Nagpur, Seoni, Balaghat and Mandla districts. For the first time in the country, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has chalked out management plan for the corridor. Along with wild dogs, wolves, lions and tigers, the corridor has now become home for Eurasian Otters.