Rare Eurasian Otter was found for the first time in Indapur, Pune. A rescue operation by the Pune Forest Department and the RESQ Charitable Trust led to this rare find. The team initially responded to an incident involving a well-caught civet. However, on closer inspection, an otter was discovered.
Forest rangers and RESQ members quickly adapted their rescue plan. They waited six hours to capture the otter in a car trap cage. A veterinary team examined it at the Wildlife Transit Treatment Centre in Bavdhan, Pune.
In India, the otter (Lutra lutra), which lives in freshwater areas in the Himalayas, north-east India and the Western Ghats, is rare. Unlike the otter, this species is shy and nocturnal. Otters are vital for fish and aquatic ecosystems.
Pune’s Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mahadev Mohite, described the discovery as a “landmark event” for the region. “Although otters with smooth fur have been detected here before, this is the first case of an otter,” he said. His team and the RESQ will carry out further research to find out more about the otter’s origins and habitat.
The founder of the RESQ Charitable Trust, Neha Panchamiya, reported on the otter’s condition. The male sub-adult otter is now in a secure enclosure with a pool of water and remote cameras. “He is feeding well and exhibiting healthy behaviour,” Panchamiya said, adding that a full medical examination will follow.
The discovery emphasises the need to conserve natural habitats and rare species. The presence of the otter in Pune indicates underutilised wildlife habitats.