Aonyx congicus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CARNIVORA	MUSTELIDAE

Scientific Name:

Aonyx congicus

Species Authority:

Lönnberg, 1910

Common Name/s:

English	–	Congo Clawless Otter, Cameroon Clawless Otter, Small-clawed Otter, Small-toothed Clawless Otter, Zaire Clawless Otter
French	–	Loutre À Joues Blanches Du Cameroun, Loutre À Joues Blanches Du Congo, Paraonyx Tacheté
Spanish	–	Nutria Inerme De Camerún

Taxonomic Notes:

This species was originally described as, and is sometimes still included as (e.g., Wozencraft 2005), a subspecies of African Clawless Otter Aonyx capensis. The correct species name is congicus (Aonyx being of Greek origin and masculine gender), although A. congica is still often incorrectly used (Jacques et al. in press).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Hoffmann, M.

Evaluator/s:

Hussain, S.A. (Otter Red List Authority) and Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Although this species is poorly known, it appears to be reasonably widespread within the Congo Basin, where there are currently no known major threats, and no reason to believe the species is undergoing any significant decline that would warrant listing in a threatened category.

History:

2004	–	Data Deficient
2000	–	Data Deficient
1996	–	Lower Risk/near threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Congo Clawless Otter occurs in the rainforests of the Congo basin including Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as southern Cameroon, southern Central African Republic, northern Angola, and extending eastward to the forests and the wetlands of Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda (Larivière 2001; Jacques et al. in press). The limits of the species’ distribution range are still unclear, partly due to the species’ possible confusion with the African Clawless Otter; there are, as yet, no confirmed records from Nigeria (Jacques et al. in press).
Countries:	Native: Angola; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Rwanda; Uganda Presence uncertain: Burundi; Nigeria
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	This is a very poorly known species. It may be common in certain undisturbed rainforest locations, but is otherwise thought to be rare (Jacques et al. in press).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The Congo Clawless Otter occurs in rain forests and lowland swamps of the Congo River basin (Lariviere 2001; Jacques et al. in press). They are frequently observed in swampy forest clearings (bais), for example, at Langoué Bai in Gabon, and Mbeli Bai in Nouabalé-Ndoki N.P. in Congo Republic (Jacques et al. in press). Recorded to 2,200 m on the Kahuzi Massif (Rahm and Christiaensen 1963). The Congo Clawless Otter is the least well known of the three African otter species, and no detailed ecological study on this species has been conducted. The current state of knowledge has been summarized by Lariviere (2001) and Jacques et al. (in press).
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

The Congo Clawless Otter occurs in rain forests and lowland swamps of the Congo River basin (Lariviere 2001; Jacques et al. in press). They are frequently observed in swampy forest clearings (bais), for example, at Langoué Bai in Gabon, and Mbeli Bai in Nouabalé-Ndoki N.P. in Congo Republic (Jacques et al. in press). Recorded to 2,200 m on the Kahuzi Massif (Rahm and Christiaensen 1963). The Congo Clawless Otter is the least well known of the three African otter species, and no detailed ecological study on this species has been conducted. The current state of knowledge has been summarized by Lariviere (2001) and Jacques et al. (in press).

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Although there are probably no major threats to the species, hunting for bushmeat and skins, habitat loss and degradation, and over-fishing are likely localized threats in many areas. According to Carpaneto and Germi (1989), Mbuti pygmies in northeastern DR Congo use the skins of Congo Clawless Otters to make hats.

Major Threat(s):

Although there are probably no major threats to the species, hunting for bushmeat and skins, habitat loss and degradation, and over-fishing are likely localized threats in many areas. According to Carpaneto and Germi (1989), Mbuti pygmies in northeastern DR Congo use the skins of Congo Clawless Otters to make hats.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	They are present in several protected areas across their range, including Dzanga-Sangha N.P. in Central African Republic, the Lopé reserve in Gabon, and Nouabalé-Ndoki and Odzala National Parks in Congo Republic (Jacques et al. in press). There is a need for a detailed study on the biology, ecology, and distribution of this species.

Conservation Actions:

They are present in several protected areas across their range, including Dzanga-Sangha N.P. in Central African Republic, the Lopé reserve in Gabon, and Nouabalé-Ndoki and Odzala National Parks in Congo Republic (Jacques et al. in press). There is a need for a detailed study on the biology, ecology, and distribution of this species.

Citation:	Hoffmann, M. 2008. Aonyx congicus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2009.
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