| Summary: | Long-term baselines of species distribution are valuable for understanding factors that influence species distribution and conservation management. We revised and supplemented the historical distribution records of the Eurasian otter using interviews and questionnaires. The species distribution model was used to reconstruct the distribution pattern of Eurasian otter in Northeast China across the last 70 years, and the correlation between the change in distribution pattern and environmental factors was calculated. Our results show that the distribution of otters in Northeast China has decreased by 46 % and the occurrence point record has decreased by 60 % over the past 70 years. We found that the spatial distribution pattern of suitable habitats for otters is positively correlated with precipitation in the driest season and percentage of forest land, and negatively correlated with density of residential spots and percentage of cultivated land. In terms of temporal changes in distribution, the distribution of suitable habitats for otters may shrink in time affected by density of residential spots and percentage of cultivated land. Over the past 70 years, otter distribution has declined mainly in low-elevation plains. Controlling human disturbances, especially at the border between mountains and plains, could be key to the recovery of populations of otters. Planning for the protection of freshwater ecosystems in the Greater Khingan Mountains should be prioritized.
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