The world's rarest otter has been rediscovered in Borneo, after a single individual was photographed by a camera trap set by conservation scientists.
The hairy-nosed otter was pictured in the Deramakot Forest Reserve in Sabah.
The last confirmed record of the hairy-nosed otter in the state of Sabah was more than 100 years ago, and it has not been seen in Borneo since an individual was killed by a car in 1997.
The otter only occurs in a handful of locations outside of Borneo.
Experts only realised they had recorded a hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) after examining photos of three different otter species.
It was unknown to scientists if this species can be still found on Borneo Andreas Wilting, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research |
One otter species caught on camera was the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), while another was the Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus).
But a close examination of one photograph revealed it had recorded a hairy-nosed otter, which has a flatter, longer head, a white throat and darker fur than its two relatives.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8854000/8854530.stm
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