TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Kinmen Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Association (KWRCA) Chair Yuan Shou-li (袁守立) announced on Thursday that Kinmen will host a two-day conference to raise awareness about the endangered Eurasian otter.
Kinmen is currently the only location in Taiwan with a stable Eurasian otter population, making it a focal point for national conservation efforts, per CNA. Yuan said recent improvements in habitat preservation have been achieved through collaboration with the Kinmen County Government, though further progress is still needed.
The conference will include visits to otter habitats and otter-friendly communities. While it is an academic event, Yuan said organizers will avoid technical jargon to make it accessible to the general public.
He also called on local tour guides who conduct nighttime visits to otter habitats to avoid disturbing the animals and encouraged them to participate in the event.
The otter population in Kinmen is threatened by ongoing land development and government water infrastructure projects, per Our Island. Otters rely on dense bushes for raising young and waterways for moving between habitats.
Due to their territorial and solitary nature, even minor environmental disruptions can have significant impacts. For example, fencing around waterways may severely restrict their movement.
In a Feb. 11 interview, the KWRCA reported incidents of nighttime tours using strong lights to search for otters, per CNA. The association said that while it does not oppose such tours, guides should avoid disturbing the animals.
The group also warned that disrupting the otters near Tai Lake could cause displacement, increasing the risk of vehicle collisions or conflicts with otters in other territories.
Stray dogs also pose a threat to Kinmen’s otters, though the stray population has reportedly been declining, per the Environmental Information Center.
National Taiwan Normal University Professor Li Shou-hsien (李壽先) has conducted genetic research on Eurasian otters and found that the species has divided into three distinct groups, per UDN. Despite their geographic isolation, Kinmen’s otters show similar levels of genetic diversity as populations in southern China and northern Eurasia.
Li concluded that introducing foreign otters to supplement Kinmen’s population could have negative effects. Although otters were absent from southeastern China for some time, recent sightings have been recorded.
