This, the rarest otter in the world, was thought to have been extinct until recently. They are an apex predator in the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia; they help maintain healthy fish populations for the millions of Cambodians who depend on them for protein. Conservation International is working to protect this species through education and monitoring on the lake, as well as supporting the Phnom Tamao Zoological Park and Wildlife Rescue Center, which is home to the only known captive hairy-nosed otter in the world.