UP: First-ever otter sighted in Gomti river on Lucknow-Sitapur border

Lucknow, March 5 For the first time, a smooth-coated otter (SCO) has been spotted in 929-km-long Gomti river on the Lucknow-Sitapur border by a team of Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

In Uttar Pradesh, otters are generally found in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Katerniyaghat, Haiderpur wetland and Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.

According to WII expert Vipul Maurya, the team spotted the otter while they were carrying out an ecological assessment that is part of the project funded by the National Mission for Clean Ganga of the Union Jal Shakti Ministry.

Maurya, who is leading the team, said, "There are no records of SCO ever being spotted in Gomti and we are excited to find one under Sitapur district border. The presence of otter in Gomti is of great significance, as it indicates that some patch of the river is still habitable."

Government records suggest that 865 MLD of sewage discharge is directly pumped into the river daily from 68 drains and 30 industries from more than 150 villages.

The 30 industries include seven sugar, two slaughterhouses, three textile or yarn dyeing industries, five engineering industries, three distillery units, and 10 industries of dairy, fertiliser, paper, food and beverages.

SCO preys on fishes, shrimps, crayfish, crab, insects and vertebrates like frogs, mudskippers, birds and rats. They like rocky sections along rivers, as it offers places to build dens and relax.

The marshes and bank-side vegetation along the river are utilised for foraging or moving.

Maurya said, "The Maurya community near the Gomti river in Sitapur must be made aware of the value of aquatic ecosystems for both the preservation of species and their own survival, especially farmers and fishermen. Better educational possibilities should be made available to the local population."

Maurya along with his team member Sumit Nautiyal, is working on Gomti river under the planning and management for aquatic species conservation and maintenance of ecosystem services in the Ganga river basin for the Clean Ganga project.

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