Project Title
Conservation Status Survey of Smooth-coated Otters in the Krishna River Delta of Andhra Pradesh
Project Grantee
Murthy Kantimahanti (Founder-President and lead conservation biologist, Eastern Ghats Wildlife Society)
Q & A with the Grantee
1) Why is the Krishna river delta critical to the conservation of smooth-coated otters?
The Krishna River flows 1,400 km. eastwards through the Eastern Ghats to meet Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh sustaining several fertile floodplains and vast stretches of tidal forests along its length.
However, the unprotected riverside buffer areas are critical habitats for good populations of smooth-coated otters and it is important to conserve them. Currently, these habitats are heavily fragmented and degraded due to anthropogenic activities like sand mining, agriculture and unsustainable fishing practices. There are also instances of human-otter conflicts that need interventions aimed at human behavioural change.
2) Any memorable experience from the field that you would like to share?
As our team embarked on the survey work in the Krishna River Delta, we reached a small river island where we found spraint (otter excreta) and clear tracks of otters. Despite the risk of getting our cameras stolen, we decided to set up camera traps for one night in the area and pitched a tent on the adjacent river bank. At the break of dawn, as we went to check up on the cameras, we found fresh otter spraint right in front of one of the cameras. That was how we captured the first ever image of a smooth-coated otter in the Krishna river delta.
3) How does involving the local fishermen and others help in conservation of otters and their vulnerable riparian and mangrove habitat?
Protected Areas in India constitute less than 5 percent of its total land area. But, wildlife does not acknowledge man-made boundaries. Anthropogenic factors that influence local extirpation and rapid decline in habitat quality are a direct threat to the survival of smooth-coated otters and their wetlands.
Therefore, it becomes imperative to promote harmonious co-existence through human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies based on equitable participation among all relevant stakeholders.
As advocates of coexistence, we believe that the holistic processes involved in promoting coexistence are not fixed and in fact, they are dynamic with constantly evolving interactions and negotiations with multiple stakeholder groups.
Images courtesy: Murthy Kantimahanti