Towards a more-than-human waterscape: The affective role of otters on the Kinmen Islands

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.In Taiwan's outlying Kinmen Islands, the conservation species Eurasian Otter has emerged as a vibrant habitant within the islands' waterscape. As a critically endangered species now only found in Kinmen within Taiwan's territories, the otter has garnered attention from residents, scholars, and conservationists, shaping the islands' conservation movement and influencing policies on water environments. Although most of the island communities still favor urban development and concrete water infrastructures, the affective role of otters has shown potential to challenge such mindsets by influencing decisions related to water and development projects. Yet, as a nocturnal species not often seen by people, otters' affective qualities do not manifest naturally but are evoked through the representation of otters and a symbolic connection of otters to the islands. In this paper, I examine the affective role of otters and investigate how this role has been fostered. Specifically, I trace the emergence of Eurasian otter in news media and public discourse and examine how narratives around otters have led to the suspension of several development and water infrastructure projects and the introduction of wildlife-friendly infrastructure and policies. Then, I explore several means that have contributed to rendering otters visible and affective, including creation of otter celebrities, otter merchandise and artworks, and monitoring and tracking efforts. I argue that while the otters’ affective effects have yet to substantially shake the islands’ developmental-oriented policies, they have gradually broadened the meanings of water in Kinmen and possess the potential to advance towards a more-than-human waterscape on the islands.