In recent days, workers of Fuhai Branch of the Altai Mountain forestry administration bureau of Altay Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, found that images of otters, a wild animal under national second-class protection, were captured in an infrared camera set in the jurisdiction of the Dongfeng management and protection station.

The images clearly show that a pair of otters were playing on the shore, looking cute. Otters are solitary animals, and all of the images captured by the infrared camera previously were single otters. This is the first time to photograph a pair of otters in breeding period in Altay Prefecture.

Photo shows an image of an Eurasian otter captured in the infrared camera set by the Dongfeng management and protection station of of Fuhai Branch of the Altai Mountain forestry administration bureau of Altay Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo courtesy of Shuita Dundun)

Otters belong to the carnivora weasel family. They are good at swimming and diving, and have slender shape, round eyes, small ears and short limbs.When they fish by the water, they always look very satisfied and comfortable.

Photo shows an image of an Eurasian otter captured by an infrared camera of Qibatelek management and protection station of the Habahe branch of Altai Mountain National Forestry Administration. (Photo courtesy of Shuita Dundun)

Otters are also an indicator species of freshwater ecosystems and a flagship species for freshwater aquatic environmental protection, and they require very high water quality for its habitat. According to experts, the living environment of otters requires good water quality,sufficient fish resources and low interference degree. Therefore, the presence of otters generally means the existence of a complete and healthy wetland ecosystem, and its presence and frequent activity is an important ecological indicator.

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