First photographic evidence of smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra seistanica) in Iraq since 1950s

Two otter species occur in Iraq, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) and the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), which are listed respectively as “Near Threatened” and “Vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List. Iraq’s endemic taxon L. p. maxwelli is a flagship species to the country. The first photographic record of smooth-coated otter in the wild was recently obtained from Al-Edheam Marsh at the northern edge of Hawizeh Marsh in southern Iraq. Other first photographic records for Iraq were of the Eurasian otter and were obtained in the Al-Hammar Marsh and at the Mosul Dam in southern and northern Iraq, respectively. Both Iraqi otter species are facing a major decline due to illegal hunting/trapping, habitat loss and fragmentation, thus strong conservation efforts are required to protect their populations in Iraq. In conclusion, the photographic record of the endemic smooth-coated otter will support the Mesopotamian Marshlands to persist and endure as a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.