Asian small-clawed otter
Amazing fact
Asian small-clawed otters sometimes let the sun’s heat open shellfish to eat the meat.
Smithsonian National Zoo
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
Asian small-clawed otters sometimes let the sun’s heat open shellfish to eat the meat.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Asian small-clawed otter
- Scientific name
- Aonyx cinereus
- Japanese name
- コツメカワウソ
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Mustelidae
- Genus
- Aonyx
It lives along rivers and wetlands in tropical forests and is the smallest of the otters.
The claws on its toes are small and its front paws are nimble. Even on murky riverbeds, it feels around with its front paws for shellfish and other food.
After coming out of the water, it rubs its body against nearby logs and other objects to dry off so that it does not get chilled.
How the Asian small-clawed otter lives
They hunt by themselves. Their broad, strong teeth are well suited to crushing shells. They make nests by digging holes in muddy banks. The whole family helps bring food to the young and look after them.
Smithsonian National ZooBasic data
- Size
- Head and body length: 41–64 cm
- Weight
- males about 3.5 kg, females about 3 kg
- Diet
- Crabs, shrimp, shellfish, fish and frogs
- Range
- Southern China, Southeast Asia and India
Where the Asian small-clawed otter has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- コツメカワウソ
- 简体中文
- 亚洲小爪水獭
- 繁體中文
- 亞洲小爪水獺
- 한국어
- 작은발톱수달
- Español
- Nutria Cenicienta
- Français
- Loutre cendrée
- Deutsch
- Zwergotter
- Português (Brasil)
- Lontra-anã-oriental
- Italiano
- Lontra dalle piccole unghie
- العربية
- قضاعة آسيوية صغيرة المخالب
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Sero ambrang
- Tiếng Việt
- Rái cá vuốt bé
- Русский
- Восточная бескоготная выдра
- বাংলা
- এশীয় উদবিলাই
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — コツメカワウソChecked: 2026-11-03
- Smithsonian National Zoo — Asian small-clawed otterChecked: 2026-11-06
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Asian small-clawed otter, look for this
- Look for the small webs between the front toes.
- Compare the dark brown fur above with the lighter fur below.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
上野動物園Smithsonian National ZooEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Asian small-clawed otter
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Mustelidae
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