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India tops otter skin seizures in Asia during the last three decades, shows TRAFFIC study

Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) (Image courtesy by Bernard Landgraf CC BY-SA 3.0

Among the South Asian countries, India recorded the most number of otter skin seizures in the last three decades pointing to the intensive illegal fur trade in the region, claims a report by TRAFFIC, a global wildlife trade monitoring network.

According to the TRAFFIC report, during the period of 35 years from 1980 to 2015, India recorded 52.7 percent of total otter seizures recorded across 16 Asian countries. According to the data compiled from different CITES management authorities in these countries, a total of 167 incidents of otter seizures were reported during the 35 year period which amounted to a total of 5979 otter specimens. Among this, 88 incidents amounting to 3276 individuals were from India. The demand in the Chinese market is the major reason for the rampant illegal trafficking of otter skins from India, claims the report.