Australasia

About Otters

Our Otter Cam

Why are Otters so important?

Otter Images and Videos

Otter Species

Otters Around the World

Skye Wildlife Sightings

The Mustelid Family

Otter Watch

African Otters

Asian Otters

Otters are said to be absent from Australasia. However, New Zealand was reported to have an indigenous mammal living in the rivers and lakes of South Island when the first European settlers came in 1777.

In 1851 the Maoris described an animal resembling an otter or badger and in 1861 Julian Haast wrote "I frequently saw tracks which resembled a European otter".

By the 1950s it was concluded that there was very little evidence to say that this animal ever existed, although a little doubt still remains and we should not ignore the possibility, however small.