• Outdoors Outdoors

Researchers uncover astonishing find after spotting unusual droppings on island: 'New hope'

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time.

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time.

Photo Credit: iStock

The Eurasian otter is back in a place where it was considered locally extinct, and the proof is in the, um, poo. 

The "number two" in question — discovered in Lantau, Hong Kong, by Jian-Huan Yang and Yik Fui Philip Lo — was later analyzed and determined earlier this month to belong to a species of otter that most scientists thought was long gone from local waters, according to the Miami Herald. Kadoorie Farm made the discovery official in social media circles as well

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time, as the above pair was searching for signs of otters on Lantau Island before discovering the excrement on a bamboo branch, the Herald reported. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Eurasian otter as a "near threatened" species. However, it is all but extinct in certain areas where it once flourished. 

According to the Hong Kong Free Press, the perpetrators include local water pollution and unrestrained human expansion, which inevitably arrives in even relatively pristine and untouched areas of the world. 

The Eurasian otter is known for being a solitary species, remaining spread out, alone, and aloof. In Hong Kong, it was long thought to be extinct locally in the wild until the recent finding. 

Fortunately, according to the HK Free Press, the revelation of itinerant Eurasian otters in the area has shifted ongoing discussions over the Sustainable Lantau Blueprint, which initially envisioned housing and economic development in the northern area of Lantau Island. 

Watch now: This 'win-win-win' app offers up to 50% savings on food

This 'win-win-win' app offers up to 50% savings on food
0 seconds of 1 minute, 8 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
01:08
01:08
 

As far as the Eurasian otter is concerned, the area is better off left alone. Kadoorie Farm, a Hong Kong botanical garden, is an advocate for biodiversity conservation, and the organization is pushing the Sustainable Lantau Office in that direction. 

"Future development in North Landau should also incorporate conservation measures for otters and other rare species," Kadoorie Farm said in a statement, according to the Hong Kong Free Press report.

Researchers have shared an optimistic outlook as well, expressing a "new hope for this locally extremely rare species," per the Miami Herald. 

Should the government be allowed to restrict how much water we use?

Definitely 💯

Only during major droughts 🏜️

No way 🙅

I'm not sure 🤷

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

Cool Divider