Where to see the Smooth-coated Otter
Lutra perspicillata · mammal · Mustelidae
Smooth-coated Otter (Lutra perspicillata) is recorded in 8 protected areas and wildlife sites across 2 countries in our database. The places with the strongest evidence are Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (Nepal), Banke National Park (Nepal) and Shukla Phanta National Park (Nepal).
Where is the best place to see the Smooth-coated Otter?
Based on GBIF records and our guides, the best-documented places to see the Smooth-coated Otter are Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (Nepal), Banke National Park (Nepal) and Shukla Phanta National Park (Nepal). Most sites are in Nepal (5) and India (3). It appears in 2 trip reports in our library.
Top 8 places for the Smooth-coated Otter
| # | Place | Country | GBIF records | Years | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve | Nepal | – | – | Reported by our guide |
| 2 | Banke National Park | Nepal | 10 | – | Recorded on GBIF |
| 3 | Shukla Phanta National Park | Nepal | 10 | – | Recorded on GBIF |
| 4 | Bardiya National Park | Nepal | 9 | – | Recorded on GBIF |
| 5 | Chitwan National Park | Nepal | 7 | – | Recorded on GBIF |
| 6 | Kaziranga National Park | India | 3 | 2015–2019 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 7 | Anaimalai Tiger Reserve | India | 3 | 2017 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 8 | Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary | India | 3 | 2010–2011 | Recorded on GBIF |
By country
Nepal: 5 and India: 3.
Seen on trips
The Smooth-coated Otter is recorded in these trip reports:
- Kanha, Kaziranga and Chitwan Mammal Watching Trip Report, January 2014: Royle Safaris — Royle Safaris
- Assam Mammal Watching Trip Report 2008 — Jon Hall (mammalwatching.com)
Tours that have recorded it
- Kanha, Kaziranga & Chitwan Safari — Royle Safaris
In our guides
Read the full species account in our Malaysia guide, India guide, Thailand guide, Bhutan guide.
Take it with you
Build a free printable field guide or e-book for any of these places, with photos and a checklist.
Make a field guide for Koshi Tappu Wildlife ReservePhoto: (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC-BY.
Data last updated 2026-11-05. Species–place links come from GBIF occurrence downloads (GBIF.org) matched to protected-area boundaries from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and other open boundary sources, plus places listed by our own guides. Record counts are what has been reported to GBIF, not population sizes. Reptiles and amphibians are never shown at park level. How this database works · Data sources and limits.