The Jintang Otter Science Museum, located on Jintang Island in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, is set to open to the public in May.

Jintang Island, the area with Zhejiang's highest density of otters, is home to the largest and only stable otter population in the region.

The museum recently welcomed its first group of study tour participants. Experts showed them the habits of this rare species and the efforts to protect their habitat, as well as how to identify otter activity through signs like droppings and paw prints.

The two-story museum features distinct zones. The first floor is divided into sections showing otter conservation efforts and their habitat species. The second floor offers cultural exhibits and facilitates educational exchanges.

A display area of the Jintang Otter Science Museum located on Jintang Island in Zhoushan. [Photo/wifizs.cn]

In the display area of otter conservation efforts on the first floor, there are various instruments for analyzing otter droppings and DNA, alongside a map showing otter tracks on Jintang Island.

According to museum director Shen Qiu, the display area of otter conservation efforts also serves as a workspace for otter researchers to conduct experiments.

"As otter researchers, our work involves long-term otter monitoring and collecting droppings and traces for lab analysis to understand their genetic relationships and diet," Shen said.