The Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), in a recent research, has found that India’s otters face threats due to habitat degradation, disappearing of wetlands, illegal trade, hunting, and conflict with local communities.
In the study titled “Living alongside otters: examining human-otter interactions and attitudes towards otters in Central India for conservation in shared landscapes,” authors Vinni Jain and Dr. Krithi K. Karanth found that otters are declining globally and in India, especially outside protected areas in shared landscapes.
CWS scientists surveyed 551 people across an area of 3,300 sq. km. in the Balaghat District of Madhya Pradesh to examine people’s overlap with otters.
