Karnataka declared first otter conservation reserve, 34 km along the Tungabhadra, which stretches from from Mudlapura village to Kampli in Ballari district.
The reserve also passes through Hampi, a UNESCO heritage site.
The reserve houses a good number of smooth-clawed otter, smooth-coated otters, mahseer fish, fresh water crocodiles and giant soft-shelled turtles.
Despite being notified as a conservation reserve, river otters in Karnataka are currently facing many threats such as habitat loss, overfishing by trawlers, poaching and dynamite fishing.
Increasing of Water hyacinths also a serious threat to this species.
Smooth-coated otter is distributed throughout the country from the Himalayas and to the south in India.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, Smooth-coated species is vulnerable.
The highest protection under Schedule 1 (small-clawed otter) and Schedule 2 (smooth-coated otter) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is provided for the otters.