New localities of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758) in the upper Euphrates river basin, a remarkable range extension in western Iraq

Records of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) have been confined to the waterbodies of southern, central, and northern Iraq (Kurdistan). Although its status in the Upper Euphrates River Basin in western Iraq is not fully explored, it seems to be rare. In August 2019, two adult Eurasian otters were reported from two new localities in Anbar Province after being strangled by fishing nets. These records represent the first photographic evidence for a remarkable range extension of the Eurasian Otter distribution range in western Iraq.