Otters - forgotten victims of the fur trade

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are classified as endangered on the world Conservation Union-IUCN Red List of threatened species. They are native to the coasts of the north Pacific, from northern Japan and Kamchatka east across the Aleutian Islands and south to California. Sea otters have been hunted extensively for their luxurious fur Photograph: Kevin Schafer/Getty

A smooth coated otter (Lutra perspicillata): Two days ago, the International Otter Survival Fund (IOSF) received reports that 10 skins of smooth-coated otters, which are vulnerable to extinction, had been found in Cambodia Photograph: James Warwick/Getty

The Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra is near threatened with extinction. The main market for otter furs is Tibet, where the chupa, its traditional national dress, may contain skins from as many as six otters Photograph: image100/Corbis

The Asian short-clawed otter (Amblonyx cinera) is near threatened. In many countries, wildlife crime is not considered a matter of high priority and therefore minimal money and enforcement is provided to combat it Photograph: Doug Allan/Getty

Many of the skins being traded are from the hairy-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) which was believed to have become extinct in 1998, but small populations have been found in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia Photograph: Sterling Zumbrunn/conservation International cambodia

Otter skins in Cambodia. A haul of 10 skins of smooth-coated otters and six skins of hairy-nosed otters was found a few days ago at four different villagers' homes on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake Photograph: conservation International cambodia

Otter skins in Cambodia. The UN has recognised the illegal fur trade as a serious issue of transnational organised crime, second only after guns. A massive haul of 778 otter skins was recently recovered in Tibet. IOSF's work in Cambodia will engage fisherman in the research and conservation of otters instead of shunning them as hunters Photograph: conservation International cambodia/conservation International cambodia