Dara, The Hairy Nosed Otter, Gets a New Home

June 26, 2008 - Press Dispensary - Dara, the world’s only hairy nosed otter in captivity, now has a brand new home in Phnom Tamau Zoo, Cambodia, thanks to the International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF – http://www.otter.org ).

Dara (which means ‘precious’ in Cambodian) is a young male who was found by a fisherman on the Tonle Sap Lake, but ended up in a small illegal zoo. Eventually the zoo was closed by the government and he was donated to the Phnom Tamau Zoo.

Dara’s initial enclosure urgently needed replacement and, thanks to the generosity of IOSF supporters, he now has a brand new enclosure with lots of trees and bushes, and his own pool.

According to Cambodian tradition, Buddhist monks carry out a blessing when people move into a new home and so Dara and his enclosure were blessed at the opening on June 18, 2008.

Hairy nosed otters were believed to be extinct in 1998, but two IOSF projects found small populations in Thailand and Vietnam and they have since also been found in Cambodia and Sumatra.

Dr Paul Yoxon of IOSF said: “One of the biggest problems for otters in Asia is from the fur trade which supplies pelts to Tibet and China. This is why we have set up a campaign called Furget-Me-Not, as otters are the forgotten animals when it comes to the illegal wildlife trade. We are working with Annette Olsson of Conservation International in Cambodia to provide the local people with an otter-friendly alternative to hunting.”

Very little is known about hairy nosed otters in the wild and so as part of the Furget-Me-Not campaign, IOSF is organising a workshop for local conservationists in Cambodia to encourage more study.

To find out more about the work of IOSF visit http://www.otter.org or the special campaign site at http://www.furgetmenot.org.uk

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The International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) was inspired by observing otters in their true natural habitat. Because the otter lives on land and in water, and is at the peak of the food chain, it is an ambassador species to a first class environment. IOSF was set up to protect the 13 species of otter worldwide through a combination of compassion and science. It also supports third party projects that help otters.

For further information, please contact:
Grace Yoxon, International Otter Survival Fund
Tel: +01471822487
Email:
Site: www.otter.org