Spotted-necked otters are almost exclusively aquatic and seldom venture more than ten metres from water. Because they hunt mainly by sight, these otters need clear, shallow water where fish are abundant. They require permanent and continuous fresh water that is unsilted and unpolluted. Long grasses, reeds, and bushes along the shoreline, as well as rock cavities, bank dens, and holes in root systems offer necessary shelter and are essential in providing cover during periods of inactivity.


Fish dominate the otters’ diet and other prey is only important when fish are not abundant. Frogs, crabs, mollusks, aquatic insects, and larvae are some other items included in their diets. This otter is mostly diurnal, preferring to feed either two to three hours before dusk or after dawn.

The spotted-necked otters are in decline due to changes in their environment and human interference. One problem is the increased use of nylon fishing nets, in which the otters get tangled in and die. Erosion of soil near the source of the rivers is also a threat. Fish-farmers and fur-trappers are also playing a part in the decline of the spotted-necked otter.