Three European otters were caught on camera for the first time in the Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province. 

Jiegu Town, where the otter family was spotted, is moderately populated and otter visits are rare. Their surprise appearance indicates a good aquatic ecosystem with clean water and a wide range of fish in Sanjiangyuan.

Sanjiangyuan, which means "source of three rivers," is where the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers originate. It is also known as "the water tower of Asia."

The European otter is under second-class state protection in China. The species was once widely spread across China, but now the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of its last habitats. 

(Cover image via VCG)

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