Otter Suspected to Have Died in Snare Trap in Kinmen; Conservation Association Urges Prompt Reporting

Central News Agency (Kinmen, May 22) A Eurasian otter in Kinmen is suspected to have died after getting caught in a snare trap. The Kinmen Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association stated today that otter rescue is usually urgent and urged the public to report sightings of injured or dead otters via phone, their Facebook page, or by calling 1999 to the county government for faster response. In March, a resident found an injured otter in the Xintang area of Jinhu Township, Kinmen, suspected of being caught in a snare trap intended for invasive blue peacocks. The resident sent the otter to the Kinmen County Animal and Plant Disease Control Center, and association staff arrived to help, but the otter had already passed away. Association Secretary-General Chen Feng-hua told reporters that most otters reported by the public are already dead, but the one in March was rarely found alive, and she thanked the center for the prompt report. Chen emphasized that since rescue is urgent, reporting directly to the association or the county government is faster than going through intermediaries. Additionally, the association posted on Facebook that the trap was located away from water, not in a frequent otter activity area, and further investigation is needed to determine if it was an isolated incident. Scholar Yuan Shou-li, who has studied Eurasian otters in Kinmen for years, noted that the Xintang area lacks water systems and is not a known hotspot. Current research relies on feces and automatic cameras, making it difficult to track migration paths or determine where traps should be prohibited. Past discussions on attaching radio transmitters were shelved due to concerns about affecting the otters' behavior. Yuan expressed hope for continued support from central and local governments to build a better environment for otters.