In the State Natural Park "Khan-Tengri," employees have captured on video an adult individual of the Central Asian river otter for the first time in the last ten years.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, the otter was spotted on the Turuk River, which runs along the border with Kazakhstan.
Research conducted from 2023 to 2025 on the rivers Kyzyl-Suu, Chatkal, Tyup, Kokomeren, and Chu found no traces of the otter's presence, raising concerns about its disappearance in the country. However, the new video confirms the possibility of this species migrating from Kazakhstan.
The Ministry emphasizes the importance of further research on the Turuk River's course to determine whether the spotted otter is a solitary migrant or if there is a permanent population in this region.
