Why in news? First photographic record of the semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal Eurasian Otter has indicated some stretches of the Neeru stream.

Highlights:

• The Neeru stream is a tributary of the Chenab river, that are still unpolluted
• The first photographic record of an elusive semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal has indicated that not all of them are lost in a Jammu and Kashmir stream.
• It is a flagship species and indicator of high-quality aquatic habitats.

About Neeru stream

• Neeru river or Neru river is the river tributary of the Chenab River, beginning at the Sonbain Ashapati Glacier of the Bhaderwah and joining the Chenab at Pul Doda in the Doda district.
• The Gupt Ganga temple of Bhaderwah is located on the bank of this river.

About Eurasian otter

• It is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia.
• It is widely distributed in the waterways and coasts of Europe, many parts of Asia, and parts of northern Africa.
• The Eurasian otter has a diet mainly of fish, and is strongly territorial.
• It is endangered in some parts of its range, but is recovering in others.
• In India, it is distributed in the Himalayan foothills, southern Western Ghats and the central Indian landscape.

Conservation

• IUCN status : Near Threatened
• It is listed as endangered in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand, and critically endangered in Mongolia.
• In South Korea, it is listed as a Natural Monument and first-class endangered species.