Wild otter observation on Gurney Drive coast in Penang Island, Malaysia

Otter was irregularly observed on Gurney Drive coast in the northern part of Georgetown, Penang Island from June 2015 to March 2016. Authors examined relationship between the otters sighting date and time and the tide pattern. Otter was observed a total of five times on 27th June, 17th August, 6th December 2015, 14th March, and 16th March 2016. These otters were identified same species which was the smooth-coated otter, Lutrogale perspicillata, from the morphological characteristics. Swimming direction of the otters were characterized two patterns that the first was the otters swam from inner part to east coast in a cove of Gurney Drive coast and the second was the otters swam from the east coast to inner part of the cove. From this result, it was suggested that the otters swam to drive fish toward tide flow and the otters catch the fish efficiently.