Aug 17 (NHK) - Japanese researchers say an extinct variety of otter formerly widespread across the country may still survive in southwestern Japan. The Japanese river otter was officially declared extinct in 2012.
Masako Izawa, a professor of animal ecology at the University of the Ryukyus, spoke to reporters at the Ministry of Environment on Thursday.
Izawa said that a camera set up for an ecological survey of wild animals on Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, filmed an otter in February.
The footage showed the mammal looking back toward the camera, then leaving the site.
The team determined the animal to be a Japanese river otter from its size and the length of its feet, as well as aspects of its head and tail.
It is the first sighting of the animal in Japan in 38 years.
The environment ministry launched a field survey in July based on information from the team and detected DNA from the Eurasian otter in excrement samples collected at the site where the otter was filmed.
Eurasian otters live in South Korea and other countries.
Source: ANNnewsCH
