Nepal’s elusive asian small-clawed otter vanishes again after historic 2024 sighting ends 185-year absence

The world’s smallest otter species has once again disappeared from Nepal’s waterways, leaving researchers scrambling for answers just one year after its remarkable reappearance ended a 185-year absence from the country.

In November 2024, wildlife experts celebrated the discovery of a juvenile Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Nepal’s Dadeldhura district near the Indian border—the first confirmed sighting since 1839. The historic find sparked hopes that overlooked populations of these diminutive otters might still inhabit Nepal’s rivers and wetlands. However, despite multiple search efforts and suspected signs like otter droppings found in various river systems, researchers have not recorded a single verified sighting in the past year.

“Despite multiple reports of suspected signs, such as scats recovered from different river systems, there hasn’t been a second verified sighting of the Asian small-clawed otter anywhere in the country,” leading otter researcher Mohan Bikram Shrestha told Mongabay. Yet he remains optimistic, adding, “We firmly believe that the animal is present in the eastern river systems as well.”

The search faces significant challenges, including limited funding and difficulties conducting DNA analysis to confirm the indirect evidence collected by community members and researchers. Despite these obstacles, Nepal has formally incorporated the species into its national conservation plans, reflecting continued hope that these elusive otters may still call the country’s waterways home. The mystery continues as scientists piece together scattered clues in their quest to understand whether this vanishing act is temporary or permanent.