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| (Otter News extends full photo credit to John Wright - 2008) |
The Cape Clawless otter, also known as the African Clawless otter or Groot otter, is one of three species of otter inhabiting Africa south of the Sahara. It is only absent in the Congo basin; see maps below detailing its range. According to the IUCN Red List, it is the “most widely distributed otter species in Africa” and classified as one of Least Concern (2008).
These otters do not have significant threats to survival; however, as with many otter species, habitat decline and loss is a factor in certain areas as well as being considered by fishermen as potential competition for food source and their livelihood.
The official taxonomic listing is: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Subphylum: Vertebrata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora, Family: Mustelidae; Genus: Aonyx; Species: Capensis.
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| Otter News extends full credit to www.africaguide.com |
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| Otter News extends full credit to C.F. Mason & S.M. MacDonald for this distribution map |
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