World Otter Day: Cruelty Behind Cuteness

Here at Lewis & Clark, we love river otters. With river otters recently selected as Lewis & Clark’s new mascot, it is worth looking past the cute photos to consider issues impacting river otters. Every year on the last Wednesday of May, World Otter Day invites people across the globe to celebrate otters while raising awareness and support for their protection. While river otters face many threats, including habitat destruction and degradation, pollution, commercial trapping for the fur trade, and more, this blog focuses on a threat to river otters that you may not have considered: the growing exploitation of otters in captivity for exotic animal cafes and roadside zoos.

Who are River Otters?

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) has dense brown fur and can be up to five feet long. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, North American river otters were trapped for their fur. By the early twentieth century, their populations had been dramatically reduced or eliminated across wide swaths of their historic range, with river otters becoming extinct in 11 U.S. states and suffering a severe decline in another 9 states. Fortunately, thanks to conservation efforts, their population has recovered, and they are no longer considered threatened.

River otters tend to live in small family groups of mothers and their young. River otters are highly social and love to play and socialize in groups. Known for their playful behavior, these otters are frequently seen sliding, diving, and burrowing in mud and snow. Scientists believe their playful activities strengthen social bonds, improve hunting techniques, and help scent-mark territory.

Today, it is not their dense fur but their playful demeanor and reputation for “cuteness” that are sparking an emerging threat to river otters in the U.S. and around the globe.

Exploiting Cuteness

Known for their frolicking and playfulness, otters have fallen victim to human exploitation of their cuteness. “Otter cafes”, roadside zoos, and similar public encounters are the latest threats to otters. These businesses drive the removal of otters from the wild and subject them to extreme emotional stress and other harms in captivity.

Exotic animal cafes allow tourists and locals to pet and spend time with a wide variety of species in exchange for a fee. Behind the veneer of a cute photo op, however, lies great harm to the animals that tourists may not recognize they are perpetuating.

The Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is a species of river otter that is popular in these cafes, particularly in Japan. The species lives across South and Southeast Asia in coastal wetlands. Asian small-clawed otters are listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Despite these protections, studies have found that smuggling of Asian small-clawed otters for the pet trade and public encounters in exotic animal cafes (EACs) is rampant, fueled in large part by social media.

A study from Conservation Science and Practice found that 75% of seized and captive otters in exotic animal cafes in Japan originated from wild otters in southern Thailand. Scientists reached this finding by analyzing the geographic origins of Asian small-clawed otters in exotic animal cafes, zoos, and aquariums in Japan, and compared their mitochondrial DNA with that of wild otters in Thailand. The report’s authors concluded that “our findings suggest that most of the sampled otters in EACs and those confiscated by airport customs in Japan originated from southern Thailand, likely through illegal trade routes.” Therefore, while perhaps not on the minds of those who participate in EACs, they are perpetuating illegal wildlife trafficking.

These EACs also harm the individual otters who are exploited in them. Because of their reputation as a social species, people may not realize that subjecting otters to continuous human holding and depriving them of their natural aquatic habitats results in psychological distress. Investigations into these EACs reveal their dark side. Otters are often subjected to cruel treatment, including inhumane housing in small cages without water and in solitary confinement. Further, many animal cafes cut or remove the teeth of otters to make them “easier to handle,” and do so without pain management. Otters display their stress through whimpers, shrieks, and distress calls while customers are interacting with them. Others have been observed biting their claws and exhibiting behaviors experts identify as trauma responses. Researchers say that social media posts often show the otters exhibiting signs of stress, and they are regularly grossly underweight. Otters typically swim long distances in their native habitats and live in large social family groups, something captivity can never replicate.

While these EACs were popularized in Asia, otter encounters are unfortunately growing in popularity within the United States. Roadside zoos have capitalized on the otters’ newfound popularity as an animal experience, charging admission in exchange for selfies and otter handling. For example, an undercover investigation at a roadside zoo in Oklahoma revealed a severely distressed six-month-old Asian small-clawed otter being used for a “VIP Encounter.” The baby otter was carried out squirming and screaming, before being restrained by the handler and forced to be petted and photographed by customers. The subsequent Inspection Report by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service which found that the otter cub had “exhibited signs of behavioral stress and unnecessary discomfort.”

Another recent news report revealed that a nine-week-old otter in Mississippi died from stress after being used in at least 12 public encounters in one day, while an otter in Nevada died after getting stuck in the cage’s filtration system. Roadside zoos are common in the United States, with some animal protection organizations estimating over 3,000 facilities in 44 states. Although these facilities often market themselves as “zoos”, they are not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This stress, caused by forced human interactions, is troubling not only for otters but for humans who may be bitten as a result. There are a number of biting incidents on record, including three middle school-aged children who were bitten by otters while interacting and swimming with the animals in Louisiana. These encounters are not safe for the animals or the people who participate in them.

How You Can Help

On this World Otter Day, you can help otters by remembering they belong in the wild, not as a photo opportunity. Roadside zoos and exotic animal cafes respond to rising public interest that is fueled by social media. You can be part of the solution by not supporting these businesses by visiting them, sharing photos and videos online, or even liking the content they generate. This sends a clear message: otters are meant to be wild, and we want to keep them this way. If you love otters, focus on protecting their natural habitats so they can continue living where they belong, the wild. Further, share this article with a friend. Educate those around you on why these businesses are so detrimental to otter populations, and why their cute appearances can be misleading. Together, we can help prevent otter suffering and enjoy their cuteness as intended: swimming and playing in their natural habitats.

About the Author Zoe Morton is a rising 3L at Lewis & Clark Law School and a Law Clerk at the Center for Animal Law Studies. She is the Submissions Editor for Animal Law Review for the second year in a row and a member of the Lewis & Clark Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter. Prior to law school, Zoe graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BS in Environmental Science.

The Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) was founded in 2008 with a mission to educate the next generation of animal law advocates and advance animal protection through the law. With vision and bold risk-taking, CALS has since developed into a world-renowned animal law epicenter. CALS’ Alumni-in-Action from 30+ countries are making a difference for animals around the world. The advanced degree program is offered in-person and online. CALS is a self-funded Center within the law school operating under the Lewis & Clark College 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and is able to provide these educational opportunities through donations and grants.