Netizens delighted by six otters in Klang River near Pasar Seni [WATCH]

 

Six otters seen swimming and playing in the Klang River near Pasar Seni have delighted netizens after a short video of the animals made its rounds online. — SCREENGRAB FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

KUALA LUMPUR: Six otters seen swimming and playing in the Klang River near Pasar Seni have delighted netizens after a short video of the animals made its rounds online.

The 14-second clip, posted by WargaWilayah crediting the video owner Johannislamill, showed the otters moving together in the river and surfacing several times.

The otters were also heard making cute sounds, drawing amused reactions from social media users. The clip had gained more than 4,300 likes.

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Several commenters said the sighting gave them the impression that the Klang River had become visibly cleaner, while others urged the public to help protect urban waterways.

User Emir Izzat said the Klang River had become cleaner in many stretches, including Bangsar, and urged the public not to litter.

"Yes, there is no denying that the Klang River has become cleaner. Many areas are now clean. Let us take care of our river together and not throw rubbish everywhere," he wrote.

Eone Iwan tagged Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, saying the sighting suggested that "something is working."

"There were also crocodiles, last spotted around Mid Valley. Keep it up with conservation efforts!" the user wrote.

Another user, Mohd Sadani Abd Rahman, suggested the otters could feed on the invasive suckermouth catfish found in many urban waterways.

"The otters can perhaps feed on the ikan bandaraya (suckermouth catfish) in the river," he wrote.

Not all users, however, saw the sighting as proof that the river was cleaner.

Runner BrgBrg Pasar said otters do not necessarily depend on clean water, but may move together in search of food.

"Otters do not care whether the water is clean or not. As long as their group is looking for food, they will follow together," the user wrote.

Malaysia is home to four otter species — the smooth-coated otter, Asian small-clawed otter, hairy-nosed otter and Eurasian otter — although no proper identification of the otters could be made based on the video.

Their presence in the Klang River suggests that the waterway can still support fish and other aquatic life. - NST