Otters thrive in Vani Vilas Dam, but fishermen worried

CHITRADURGA: After heavy inflow to the Vani Vilas Dam (VVD) near Hiriyur in Chitradurga district, wildlife experts and public have witnessed the presence of otters in the backwaters of the dam.
Over 40 to 50 otters were spotted in the recent days by local who said they have moved along with waters of the Bhadra dam to VVD. Earlier, when there is dead storage of water in VVD, there were no otters, according to local people.
"Otters are being hunted for their skin, meat. Due to depletion of water levels in lakes, ponds and dams besides pollution of water, the otter population has diminished. Therefore, they are considered an endangered species and there is a need to protect them," said wildlife expert Raghuram.
A criminal case will be booked against those who hunt these animals, said DCF Rajanna T.
Otters have been spotted in a few tanks in Hiriyur taluk, particularly after heavy rains. In the recent days, people are thronging the dam to see the otters.
Fishermen are claiming the otters are eating all the fish, causing a loss to them. The fishermen have taken some lakes, ponds, and other water bodies from the fisheries department on a tender to grow fish on a commercially. Deputy director of Fisheries in Davanagere, Annappa Swamy said that otters are not a big issue and fishermen need not panic. Otters are an endangered species as per the forest wildlife notification, he said
"Fisheries department has been supplying fish to the entire state after culturing them in a 130-acre fishpond located down stream of Bhadra dam near Lakkavalli. That lake too has otters and we cannot kill them. and rather we should protect them," Annappa Swamy said.
Otters have a role in the natural food chain, and we cannot break it, he added. "Otters are eating crabs, molluscs Hence, there is no need for fishermen to worry much about these animals, said Prof S Shishupala from the microbiology department in Davanagere University.
Otters should also survive by eating the available organisms in the water. The forest department should sensitize the fishermen and other hunters not to kill these animals as it is a crime to kill endangered species," he added.