Vol. 78 2026

ARTICLES

New Photographic Records and Updated Insights on the Distribution of the Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Vietnam: Implications for Conservation

Vu Dinh Thong1,2,*, Nguyen Hoang Thien3,4, Vu Long3 & Nguyen Khanh Luong3

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*,1Institute of Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet road, Nghia Do Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam; E-mail: thongvudinh@gmail.com
2Graduate University of Science and Technology, VAST, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet road, Nghia Do Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam
3Center for Biodiversity Conservation and Endangered Species, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, 541 Nguyen Duy Trinh, Binh Trung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; E-mail: khanhluongpy@gmail.com (NKL)
4Conservation in Motion Limited, 176 Street D, Lakeview City, Binh Trung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; E-mail: nhthien0804@gmail.com

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb78.2.003023

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Abstract

The Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical Asia, with its presumed range including a large area of Vietnam, ranging from the north-western to the southern regions. However, despite this predicted broad distribution, the species has been rarely recorded within the country. Before July 2025, there were only a few records from Vietnam, based on examined specimens or photographic evidence from the Highlands Central region. Between January 2021 and July 2025, we conducted 14 field surveys in southern Vietnam and obtained precise observations, along with high-quality photographs, of three individuals in Vĩnh Long Province. This paper presents a new locality, involving the first photographic records from southern Vietnam, and reviews accessible literature on the species’ distribution and conservation status in the country. The data presented here provide an evidence-based scientific basis for future research and conservation planning for this globally Vulnerable species in the country.

Key words

Asia, conservation, distribution, otter, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

How to Cite
Thong V. D., Thien N. H., Long V., & Luong N. K. 2026. New Photographic Records and Updated Insights on the Distribution of the Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Vietnam: Implications for Conservation. Acta zoologica bulgarica 78.

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