By – Puviarasan |

Expedition Background |

We are a group of like-minded individuals with a great interest for exploring and understanding nature. It was a hearsay about otters inhabiting the backwaters of Pondy, that aroused our curiosity. Thus we started our mission to identify and map potential hotspots of smooth-coated otters in the backwaters of Pondicherry. We also see this as a citizen scientist initiative where we have an opportunity to engage with the local community and create awareness on the need for protecting such endangered species. We embark on this journey of discovery, to experience the joy of exploring and understand the unique biodiversity of our own backyard.

Team of otter spotters

1. Vimal
2. Puviarasan
3. Gowthama
4. Swetha
5. Soundar
6. Arulmozhi
7. Gladson

SPOT 1 – Nallavaadu beach & backwater | JUNE 2019

Every time we camped at the beaches of Pondicherry, fisher folk told us that they encountered Kadal Naai (Tamil for otters; smooth-coated otters) very often. With their help, we mapped a few hotspots around Nallavaadu, a fishing village in Pondicherry, where otters were often spotted. On March 30, 2019, with the help of local fisherman Mr. Parandhaman, we camped and surveyed the backwaters of Nallavaadu. As planned, we started our coastal walk around 5 AM, with great curiosity, to spot otters along the shore. Though we were not able to spot any otters that day, this camping gave us many beautiful insights into the lives dependent on this backwater and the marine environment there. We were welcomed by Jellyfish, River Tern, Cormorant, Greater Egret, and Grey Heron. Thus our ‘otter journey’ started at this beautiful and less-explored coastal village.

Spotted species of Birds

1. Black-Winged Stilt
2. Indian roller
3. River Tern
4. Marsh Sandpiper
5. Black-crowned Night Heron
6. Cormorant
7. Pied Kingfisher
8. Greater Egret
9. Green Bee Eater
10. Purple Heron
11. Peacock
12. Peahen

SPOT 2 A – Puthukuppam Beach & Backwater (North) | JULY 2019

The Nallavaadu camping was followed by a visit to Puthukuppam, an adjacent village. Puthukuppam, yet another less-explored beach of Pondy, too had a lot in store for us. The 2-km stretch along the backwaters had mangroves, an Oak forest and small pits and ponds. The mangroves were rich in flora and fauna, and hosted many black-winged stilts and marsh sandpipers. However, there were no signs of our otters yet! Nevertheless, we marked a few potential territories. We saw broken shells of crabs lying around. Fish and crabs occupy a major portion of the otters’ diet. Such sightings (of what seemed like the leftovers from a hearty meal) gave us the hope that they were around. The Puthukuppam exploration too gave us an opportunity to understand the backwater ecosystem. Only an otter sighting evaded us!

SPOT 2B – Puthukuppam backwaters – (South) | AUGUST 2019

This time, we were at the south side of SPOT 2A, i.e., the southern end of the backwater. We planned to walk along the shores of the backwater, as we did in the north; however, here the shores did not have enough space to walk due to presence of trees and thick bushes on either sides. Our group did catch some attention among the locals as well. A local shepherd recollected for us the spots where he had seen otters in the recent past. From his narration, we inferred that they possibly lived in one of the small islands in the middle of backwater. He suggested us to take the help of local fishermen to reach those islands on catamarans. As we moved along the marshland, we spotted quite a few mud creepers spread across the ground. Our background study had told us that highlands are helpful in such explorations, as they give a wide view of the area. Here we identified one such spot and observed the surroundings. It was not yet time for our stars to reveal themselves! We left Puthukuppam, hoping to get the help of local fishermen to explore the islands during our next visit.

Returning to SPOT 1 (Nalavadu) | SEPTEMBER 2019

This is where all our questions on the whereabouts of the otters were answered. We had been in constant touch with Parandhaman, our local fisherman friend, who himself had seen the otters only a few years ago. He has been a constant support for us throughout this journey. With the help of his friends, we managed to narrow down the spots where otters were spotted frequently. 

One such spot was a small branch of the backwater that penetrated through coconut farms. We visited the spot every morning for almost two weeks. We listened to the ‘otter stories’ of the local people. One such narrative traces the roots of the otter family in Pondy. Apparently, in a major flood some years back, an otter reached the backwaters of Pondy. It roamed the surroundings for two days and then disappeared. After a few days, it came back with a couple of other otters. And they were the first otter-migrants who settled in Pondy! 

We felt the agony of the fishermen, when they told us that otters caused them huge losses through the damaging of fishing nets. They had even complained to the local administration in this regard. We realized that our involvement had to be carefully planned. There was a conflict that needed a resolution.

One such morning, a local fisherman told us that the otters were playing in the waters a little away from where we were. He took us to the spot in his catamaran and there we saw them – a group of otters swimming up and down the stream, popping out of the water and disappearing into the bushes along the shore. Needless to say, we were all exhilarated.

The sighting gave us the much needed boost for more explorations and a systematic engagement.

Key Findings

1. Species identified as “Smooth coated otters”. 
2. Number of otters spotted – 7 (local people reported to have seen as many as 19). 
3. Frequent conflicts between fishermen and otters have been reported. Example – fish includes a major portion of the otters’ diet. Otters eat the catch that are caught in the fishing nets. At times, they get caught in the nets and damage them while escaping.
4. A few instances of otters attacking humans have also been reported in Nalavaadu village.

Challenges

1. Lack of adequate experience in wildlife research & field surveys.