“This news is incredibly exciting.”
Rare Eurasian Otter Spotted in Malaysia After 11-Year Disappearance
Deep within Malaysia’s Tangkulap Forest Reserve, a set of hidden cameras set up by the conservation group Panthera recently captured something no one expected: a rare and long-lost otter species, unseen in the country for over a decade.
While the cameras were originally meant to monitor the elusive and endangered Flat-headed cat, a different animal made a surprise appearance — the Eurasian otter, a species many experts feared had vanished from Malaysia entirely.
“The Eurasian otter has long been a mysterious species in Malaysia, with a scarcity of evidence confirming its presence in the country,” said Tee Thye Lim, Project Coordinator for Panthera Malaysia.
The last confirmed sighting of a Eurasian otter in Malaysia was in 2014, and for the past 11 years, conservationists have been left wondering if the species had disappeared altogether — until now.
One Snapshot, Four Otter Species
This single image changes everything. With the Eurasian otter’s confirmed presence, Tangkulap Forest Reserve is now the only known location in Malaysia to host all four native otter species:
- Eurasian otter
- Asian small-clawed otter
- Smooth-coated otter
- Hairy-nosed otter
“This photographic evidence not only solidifies its presence in the Tangkulap Forest Reserve but also designates this area, managed by the Sabah Forestry Department, as the sole location in Malaysia known to host all four native otter species,” Lim said.
This discovery is a major milestone for biodiversity and a promising sign that ongoing conservation efforts are making a real impact.
A Moment That Means Everything
The captured footage shows the otter during a period of flooding in the forest. The animal appears briefly, makes a U-turn, and disappears — but that fleeting moment was more than enough to ignite hope.
“This news is incredibly exciting, especially considering that the last confirmed sighting of a Eurasian otter was in 2014,” Lim added.
Although researchers would love to spot more Eurasian otters in the wild, even one confirmed sighting is a powerful reminder of nature’s resilience — and the importance of protecting its most vulnerable spaces.