This species is reported to eat earthworms which in places form an important part of the diet and crabs as in the other clawless otters, Aonyx spp. Worms are located by pushing the forepaws deep into soft mud banks and feeling through the mud with the fingers, gaze averted.
This species is found in rivers, streams and swamps in rain forests and lowland swamp forests in the Congo Basin, and in the forests, highland swamps, papyrus swamps and wetland areas around lakes in Rwanda, Burundi and southwestern Uganda. Evaluators Hussain, S. Otter Red List Authority. There is no information available about population size or the number of mature animals. There is only fragmented, reliable information about the species' geographic range. Otters are occasionally hunted for bush meat, but have the reputation of being quite difficult to catch.
They are seldom recorded in bushmeat reports S. Willox, pers. The price is quite similar to other bushmeat. While meat is sought after in Congo and Cameroon, this is not the case in Gabon. Moreover, in Gabon, otters are sometimes considered as a dangerous animal giving an electrical shock when caught with a spear.
In Central and West Africa, their meat has the reputation of being an aphrodesiac as it is with many other species as well. In some areas, the otter is said to possess magical powers: by wearing a piece of fur one can become invisible to an opponent, or escape an enemy as otters escape fish traps. These otters sport long whiskers on their white-to-cream faces and run on short, clawless feet with no webbing.
The African Clawless Otter are inquisitive, clever and playful animals seldom found far from water. Like other clawless otters, this carnivorous species relies on nimble, delicate hands to hunt their prey — typically crabs, fish, insects and frogs. Though often solitary creatures, Congo clawless otters have been observed foraging as family parties. However, it is hypothesized that these associations are transient and based more on territory sharing and overlapping rather than a post-independence affinity for their family members Haltenorth and Diller, Haltenorth and Diller, ; Nowak, Lifespan range in A.
Captive specimens of the larger species, A. Congo clawless otters are mostly nocturnal, but have been observed in undisturbed swamp lands during the daytime. Though mostly solitary, family groups have also been observed along the rivers of Cameroon Kingdon, The social organization of A. In other A.
The home range size of A. Chanin, No form of communication has been specifically documented for A. Clawless otters , in general, communicate vocally with chirps, squeals, and purring noises when expressing affection or play.
Often growls, snarls, and a screaming wail are signs of displeasure or apprehension. Clawless otters also use strong olfactory cues to communicate.
They musk their coats and produce a sticky feces, capable of clinging to vertical surfaces, to mark the boundaries of their territory. The visual aspects of communication, including body language, are mostly undescribed Estes, Tactile communication is undoubtedly of some importance in reproduction, especially between mates and between a mother and her offspring.
Estes, Aonyx capensis congica is known to have a broad carnivorous diet, consisting of crabs, mollusks, fish, frogs, and other small vertebrates and invertebrates found in the shallow rivers and muddy shores of the Congo river basin.
Its streamlined, powerful body propels it after the aquatic prey of rivers and ponds. Its specially adapted fingers are sensitive and dexterous, well suited for overturning stones, grasping prey, and sifting through the muddy shores of streams and swamps for invertebrates Kingdon, Aonyx capensis congica has also been observed hunting in the tangled reeds and shoots of riverside vegetation, actively stalking small terrestrial vertebrates from cover Haltenorth and Diller, The dark chestnut coat of A.
The coloration may protect A. Although there is no documentation of predation on Congo clawless otters, other otter species are taken by large snakes, crocodilians, large cats, and birds of prey Berry, It is reasonable to assume that similar predators take A.
Although it is not illustrated or described for A. Berry, ; Estes, ; Kingdon, Within the rainforest ecosystem, A. It is also a possible prey animal for pythons, leopards, eagles, and crocodiles Kingdon, Kingdon, Hairy nosed Otter Lutra sumatrana.
Congo Clawless Otter Aonyx congicus. Photo: Nicci Wright This otter occurs from South Africa northwards to Ethiopia and Senegal, but is absent from the central rainforest areas. About IOSF. Useful Links.
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