The Denver Zoo's Toyota Elephant Passage provides home to Asian Small-clawed otters

Written by Diane Tomecek

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Barry Kirin peeking at visitors from his perch

What do elephants, tapirs, fishing cats and Asian Small-clawed otters have in common?  They are all residents of the Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit at The Denver Zoo which opened its passageways to the public on June 1st of this year.  By no means is this an exclusive list of animals, but the exhibit features Asian elephants, Malayan tapirs, the endangered fishing cat as well as Asian Small-clawed otters.  The Zoo itself is also home to the North American River otter – I was there to visit and learn about both.

Otto relaxing in his den

Ashley Snow, one of the staff zookeepers, was kind enough to facilitate my visit and we began with the Asian Small-clawed otters at Toyota Elephant Passage.  Before heading over to the new exhibit, though, Ashley shared with me the sad news that the resident female North American River otter, Ariel, had just died the previous night.  She was 18 and had been at the Zoo since 2005.  Her partner, Otto, the male is now 14 and was a rescue from Louisiana. The story will circle back to the North American River otter, Otto, in Otter News' next blog post about The Denver Zoo.   

On our trek over to the Asian Small-clawed otter exhibit, Ashley pointed out many interesting features of Toyota Elephant Passage.  The exhibit has been themed into three distinct habitat areas - The Preserve,  the Asian Village, and the Village Outpost.  Each area has a specific purpose to educate about the animals within the themed sections.  The Preserve gives an up-close and personal feel of being out in the wild with Asian elephants, rhinos and tapirs while the Asian Village details the individual animal habitats and finally the Village Outpost is purposed with driving home the conflicts that exist between these animals and the people of the Asian Villages.

Map of The Denver Zoological Gardens (Toyota Elephant Passage along the middle-back portion)

The Denver Zoo has employed a state-of-the-art concept at the Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit and the term, passage, is driven home even more distinctly by the concept. Throughout the exhibit, the fences and gates can be interlocked, creating a passageway for animals to be moved easily between land areas. Therefore, elephants exchange their habitat with rhinos, which exchange theirs for the tapirs’ and so forth. It creates a living environment similar to what these animals would encounter in the wild as they continuously roam and engage with one another throughout their Asian homes. The passageways also aid in enrichment for the animals as they are able to encounter differing sights and smells of the various habitats.

Asian Small-clawed otter exhibit

The Asian Small-clawed otter exhibit is tucked into one of the main animal habitat enclosures within Toyota Elephant Passage.  The Zoo has two otters (1:1) – Barry Kirin and Asha.  Barry Kirin came from the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and Asha was transferred from the National Zoo in Washington DC.  Both otters are quite interactive and enjoy their training session with Zookeepers, Matt Lenyo and Laura Morrell, during the first stop on the tour.  So neither are distracted, they are separated into different holding areas for the training session.  Asha was quite adventurous, climbing up a section of her enclosure, possibly believing she is ½ otter and ½ fishing cat, her exhibit neighbor.

  During training, Asha practices her climbing ability trying to capture the training wand

To those who have not seen these otters in person, it is quite fascinating to see the dexterity of their paws.  They are very tactile and quite similar to human hands yet quite different from many other otter species.  Watching the pair behind the scenes was endearing and informative – both are talkative and “chirpy”, what their vocal sounds are called by staff.  Asha is a bit more chirpy, but Barry Kirin will get in on the act if he can’t see Asha for a moment.

Barry Kirin checks things out and plays with his enrichment

The otter antics continue as our tour migrates to the front of the exhibit, where Matt tosses some live fish and crayfish in for the pair.  Barry Kirin catches most of the live fish almost immediately, but Asha decides she would like to have a go with the crayfish.  She bounds around with it, playing with her food before eating it, taking a pinch to the face at times, but eventually winning out to consume the crayfish. Laura relays that the pair “hunt” each day in this fashion; often catching their prey, washing it and then eating it, comically known by the Zookeepers as the “catch it, wash it, eat it” method.  In addition to crayfish, blue gill provides an entertaining enrichment for the otters as it is a larger fish and they are able to play with it.  The two are given other typical otter food such as smelt, capelin, herring, minnows and various insects.  Interestingly, because of their high metabolic rate and because they become full quickly, they need many small meals per day.

Asha with her crayfish

The enclosure and behind the scenes holding area are quite extensive for these two little ones.  They have two separate pools connected by a stream within the enclosure as well as ample space to haul out, i.e. come ashore.  They have a large rock to climb to partake in naps at its crest as well as to get some extra exercise.  Barry Kirin enjoys his relaxation time on the rock as he often sits on his hind quarters, rubs his belly and awaits Asha.  Asha enjoys running throughout the exhibit collecting small rocks which she believes to be crown jewels!  Additionally, Asha believes she is the interior decorator for the exhibit.  Zookeeper Laura described that Asha rearranges any furniture or toys staff have given the pair, moving the items around in a “nose-to-nose” tumbling fashion.

Asha

Asian Small-clawed otters’ status on the IUCN’s red list is Vulnerable and they still face many issues in their home ranges.  The Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit sheds light to the dilemmas for Asha and Barry Kirin’s relatives in Asia.  Habitats are still being infiltrated and there is less and less space for these otters; local resident fishermen often exploit the otters to assist them in fishing; they still remain hunted for their pelts; and they are extremely sensitive to river pollution.  In addition to the external environment that affects this otter species, they are prone to kidney stones.  Researchers are conducting studies in this arena, but nothing has been determined to be the leading cause of the kidney stone development.  It has been conjectured that food has an impact, but even newborn pups have been known to have the calcification that can eventually lead to the stones.   

Consider these conservation issues and even the dilemmas facing Asian small-clawed otters overcoming their kidney stone ailments when visiting The Denver Zoo, especially the new exhibit.  Otter News gives many compliments to the messaging of Toyota Elephant Passage and encourages our readers to visit if they are ever in the Denver area.  For more information on The Denver Zoo or Toyota Elephant Passage, visit www.denverzoo.org. 

Otter News sends its sincere appreciation to Ashley Snow, Matt Lenyo and Laura Morrell for their time and willingness to discuss their otters with us! 

Coming Soon….Otter News’ feature on Otto, the North American River otter at the Zoo.  Ashley Snow has developed many interesting features to the holding area for Otto (and his past mate, Ariel), as well as their enrichment program.

 

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Asian Small-clawed otter current status & distribution

What is the current status of the Asian Small-clawed otter in its home range?  What is the home range of the Asian Small-clawed otter? 

They are currently listed at Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list. Their populations are decreasing due to many factors including habitat loss, overfishing, as well as still being hunted for their pelts. Lending further argument to the need to conserve these otters is that they were classed in 2004 as near threatened, the class above vulnerable. River pollution in their home range(s) affects their primary fish food source, so these otters are exceptionally susceptible to polluted waters.  Their home range is wide; extending from India to Southeast Asia and northward to the Phillippines and Taiwan; even extending into southern China.  Interestingly enough, according to the IUCN, there is also a population of wild ASCOs in England that has established itself after escaping from captivity.

1954 Report - Sea otter Transfer

This is a copy of the report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the transfer of three sea otters from the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge to Woodland Park Zoo (temporarily) to their final destination at The National Zoo in Washington DC. It accompanies the post on Otter News' facebook page (www.facebook.com/otternews) from 12/6/12. 

Put on your Otter Humor Hat for this one!

(Disclaimer: this article is based in complete fiction (minus the true existence of the sculpture)

well suited for a fun Friday post! Enjoy!)

 

Humorously written and submitted by David Tomecek

Fergus Falls, MN—For decades, the residents of this town of approximately 60,000 have been witness to a singularly spectacular otter species, but have kept the knowledge to themselves out of fears of extinction of this special creature. However, travelers to the area have told fantastical stories of the “big otter” of these parts, only to have their tales pushed off as too incredible to believe. Now, researchers have finally cracked the silence and protection of Fergus Falls to reveal the Big Otter, scientifically known as Lontra canadensis humongloidius.

A small study of the Big Otter conducted by the research team found that its range is limited to the areas surrounding Fergus Falls’ Adams Park. Its demeanor is typical of its North American River Otter cousins – playful, social and interactive. Researchers were unable to determine its diet, as the sole specimen observed chose to make itself available for photographs instead of searching for food. Other limited data was gathered by the team, but is still under review.

 The research team found that the Big Otter was also a pervasive part of the town, which is the seat of Otter Tail County. The local high school uses the otter as its mascot, and many of shops use otter variants in their names. There’s even local cuisine named for the otter, including the infamous “otter dog” – a hot dog with chili and cheese inside the casing.

Researchers are asking for additional information from the public to augment their own observations. If you happen to be in western Minnesota, traveling along I-94 North, please stop into Fergus Falls and try to spot the Big Otter. To aid in visual confirmation that you are, in fact, observing Lontra canadensis humongloidius, the research team has provided photographs.

 

The Monterey Bay Aquarium - Saving Sea Otters

The Monterey Bay Aquarium and SORAC Work Diligently to Save Sea Otters

(Special Dedication to Joy

for Sea Otter Awareness Week 2012)

 

By Diane Tomecek

 

For anyone who loves sea otters, what could be better than a visit to Monterey, CA? You have the ability to see these endearing creatures in their natural habitat as you stroll along the waterfront of the Monterey Bay and, even better, you can befriend three others (Mae, Rosa and Abby) as you end your walk at the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium [MBA].  (Special Note: Currently, Mae, Rosa and Abby are behind the scenes while the sea otter exhibit is undergoing a remodel of the underlying structure.  It will reopen in the spring of 2013 and look virtually the same to the public as it had previously.) 
 

Joy, March 2012

Overall at the Aquarium, the sea otter exhibit is strategically placed “front and center” in the Marine Mammal Gallery just past the Aquarium gift store.  In fact, it figures so prominently, many people are directed to meet there for any interviews they might have with staff members.  In fact, for both “Behind the Scenes” tours I’ve had the privilege to participate in, that’s where I met my contacts.  This time, it was Cecelia Azhderian, who discussed the sea otters and exhibit in detail as well as gave an in depth picture of the pup surrogacy program at the Aquarium. 

 

I should note that this article has taken some time to develop, due to several factors.  In the intervening months since my March 23, 2012, meeting with Cecelia, one of the two otters discussed here has passed away.  The aptly named surrogate mom, Joy, died on August 2, 2012, due to advancing age.  This story is written as but one of many examples of Joy’s instinctually maternal nature, her contributions to the Southern Sea otter population and MBA’s dedication to otter conservation.

 

During this visit, Pup 572 was exclusively on display with his surrogate, Joy.  He was rescued from Cayocos Beach, his mother likely the victim of a shark attack.  The pup himself when examined was found to have a slight laceration on his shoulder, potential evidence of the attack. Joy was taking exceptionally good care of the very healthy pup.  Of course, she had lots of practice as she had successfully raised 15 pups prior to #572.  He will make #16 successfully raised!



Joy and Pup #572 - some snuggle time!

As Joy and #572 swam and relaxed in the pool after their feeding at 1:30 p.m. (there are daily feedings at10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.), I took the opportunity to ask Cecelia about another famous otter from the aquarium –Toola. Toola died in March of this year after a 17-year life where she played a vital role in the surrogacy program –raising 13 stranded pups. She was an exceptionally smart otter and raised the pups well, but on her own balanced and disciplined terms; teaching them behaviors that would be necessary for their survival in the wild. According to Andrew Johnson, manager of MBA’s SORAC (Sea Otter Research and Conservation) Program, “Toola was without question the most important animal in the history of our program. She showed us that exhibit otters could successfully raise orphaned pups for return to the wild.” Cecelia fondly remembered that Toola trained the staff, not the other way around, stating that “Toola was definitely our trainer.”

Joy and Pup 572 began to get more active and the conversation shifted back to them.  According to Cecelia, Joy is an excellent surrogate.  She “knows what her job is and takes to the pups well”.  Likely the most accepting of all the adult otters in the SORAC program at MBA, Joy required very little introduction time when a rescued pup was brought to her.  In contrast, Rosa, another surrogate at MBA, takes a bit longer – approximately one week.  Rosa then becomes extremely protective of the pup once the full-time co-existence begins and has been nicknamed the “helicopter mom” as she hovers over her pups.

Pup #572

 

The personality differences and pup-raising techniques that exist between the surrogate mothers only scratch the surface of the intensity of raising abandoned pups at the aquarium through the SORAC program.  For the staff, it is a 24/7 job!  A myriad of items must be considered and examined for maintaining the health and well-being of each pup.  And each pup has differing metabolisms, dietary tastes, medical issues and survival skill development rates, to name only a few considerations challenging the staff.  Pups must also be groomed constantly, and while this may seem straightforward and simple, it is not.  There is a specific method to grooming so that the fur does not mat, and the method reinforces basic grooming techniques for the otters.  And for many of the youngest pups, this needs to be done as much as 3 hours per day!

 

Pup #572 getting some relaxing swim time

 

The Aquarium and SORAC are well-equipped to raise the pups that come their way – having multiple areas for rescued pups.  In addition to the main pool where Joy and #572 spent that afternoon, there is a holding pool, a SORAC tank, an intensive care unit, a quarantine area with a pool and two tanks at the Hopkins Marine Area, as well as a miscellaneous pool.  The diverse functionality of the pools further demonstrates the complexity of raising abandoned and/or stranded pups.  The process around feeding and ensuring the pups are getting as much nutrition and calories as possible out of food that is not from their mother is also a challenge.  Many staff members are involved in discussions determining the specific food items that should be fed at a specific age and what the specific formulas should be.  Obviously, this is not random guesswork – it is based on many years of experience, education and study – but there are still elements of trial-and-error given each otter’s dietary predilections.  One component of the pups’ diet is Esbilac, a milk replacement.  Specifically, according to Karl Mayer, SORAC’s Animal Care Coordinator, the Esbilac formula used is “1 part Esbilac powder, 1 part surf clam meat, 4 parts H₂O. Esbilac powder is roughly 33% protein, 40% fat. The formula (diluted with water and surf clam meat) yields approximately 9% protein, 7% fat, 2% carbohydrate, 80% moisture… energy content is [approximately] 1,000 kcal/kg.”  
 



MBA staff feed Joy and Pup #572

Pup #572 enjoyed enrichment with pup-safe toys such as Kong dog toys, and is especially fond of having shrimp stuffed into ball toys with a small portion of the shrimp’s tail sticking out to tease and entertain him.  At that time, he was getting more familiar with being touched by humans and needed to grow accustomed to some human interface as he will be transferred to another accredited facility.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated him non-releasable back to the wild. Otters that are going to remain in facilities need to tolerate human touch and interaction in order to facilitate veterinary exams, as well as daily health examinations.         

Pup #572 Feeding

Cecelia shared that #572 ate capelin, Mallotus villosus, a small fish in the smelt family, as if it were candy!  It is somewhat unusual for sea otters to have an affinity for capelin, usually preferring shrimp, mollusks, crab, urchin, etc.; however, their land-based counterparts, river otters, often love capelin.  #572 handled objects well and was preparing his forearm muscles for the eventual cracking of food items, that he was anticipated to learn over the coming weeks. He had begun the motion, but had not yet applied it to the actual cracking of food. Cecelia assured that is expected at his age and, in fact, we were able to witness some of this young otter body-building practice!

Pup #572 has now been transferred to The New York Aquarium. A follow-up feature on him is currently in the works – please keep an eye on www.facebook.com/otternews and the blog here for an update!

 

Consider visiting the aquarium the next time you are in central California. The otters there will never disappoint!  After the sea otter exhibit re-opens in Spring 2013, the feeding and enrichment training sessions are a must. Trainers or aquarium volunteers provide commentary for the public as the otters romp and play with their toys.  During your visit, think about all the work going on behind the scenes to raise pups for re-release or to be transferred to other zoological facilities, inevitably leading to additional otter advocates!   

 

For more information on The Monterey Bay Aquarium, visit www.montereybayaquarium.org; or the SORAC program, visit http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/sorac.aspx.

 

If you would like to read my earlier article for The River Otter Journal on the Monterey Bay Aquarium during their Wild About Otters Exhibit, see Page 6 & 7 of http://www.otternet.com/ROA/Fall2009.pdf.

Wild North American River otter Experience along the Pacific Coast

Written and submitted by Diane Tomecek

For readers that know me, this will not be new information, but let me begin by stating that I am an otter fanatic!  I think many of us are; and how could we not be - they are adorable creatures after all.  It seems many individuals experience both river and sea otters in aquariums or zoos, but it is extra special to encounter them in their natural habitat.  My husband and I have had the privilege of experiencing both river and sea otters in aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries, as well as in the wild. 

As an amateur photographer, I’m always looking to combine my love of travel with that of otters. I find myself continuously drawn to the Pacific in central California or the rugged coastlines of British Columbia and Vancouver Island.  Could it be that these areas are home to my favorite…the sea otter?  Yeah, that’s it!

Our very first experience, though, with otters in the wild of the Pacific Northwest was with two North American River otters in Oak Bay along the southeast coastline of Vancouver Island.  My husband and I were out for an early evening drive along the coast.  I was watching the water for signs of wildlife, especially river otters.  I had read about a family of river otters that inhabit the waters between Discovery Island and Oak Bay so I was especially vigilant to spot any sign of river otters.  I was not really expecting to see anything, however.  But upon our arrival at a calm inlet site, I saw an animal which I assumed to be a cormorant dive into the water.  I watched for a minute and saw it appear again and swim along the top of the water.  This was no cormorant!  My husband, being also “otter alert,” saw what I had witnessed and was already pulling our car over to a parking area.  Well, he was not fast enough for this otter fanatic because immediately upon identifying the “cormorant” as a river otter, I yelled “Stop!  Pull over!  That is a river otter!”  He calmly turned to me in my excitement and said “Don’t worry, we are stopping.  I have you covered.  I see it too.”  Needless to say, I did not hear him.  I had already unpacked my camera and was high-tailing it to a section of rocks to watch the otter.  “Wow, this is so cool!” I thought.  Upon reaching the rocks, though, I was in for another surprise – swimming closer to shore was another river otter.  I could not believe our luck!  This was an experience to remember forever!  We stayed on the rocks watching the otters for close to an hour.  It was incredible to witness them come out onto the rocks about fifty feet from our location to “chow” on their fish dinner.  I still wonder at the  incredible experience we had that evening.

A Mountainous Home for the River Otters at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Written and Submitted by Diane Tomecek

Living on a mountain rising up from Colorado Springs, Colorado is a romp of four male North American River otters, calling the Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) home.  The first two, brothers Pahapi and Kuuyi (now five years old), arrived in 2008.  The second pair of brothers, Pivane and Enapay (now almost two years old), arrived in 2011. 

Enapay drying off on some rocks

All four otters have Native American inspired names, which connect to the Rocky Mountain region of their origin.  The CMZ believes it is important to select respectful names that are no more than three syllables and have ties to the geographical area where the species originates.  Since there were Native American tribes in the area, the zoo staff thought it was appropriate to use Native American language names.  Interestingly, the names also link back to the otter species.  Pahapi means swim in Shoshone, Kuuyi means water in Hopi, Pivane is weasel in Hopi and Enapay is brave in Sioux. 

As America’s only mountain zoo, the CMZ embraces the mountain-like atmosphere throughout the facility.  In addition to the river otters, the Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit, which opened in May 2008, is home to species that inhabit the region, including mountain lions, wolves, moose, grizzly bears and Canadian lynx, just to name a few.   The animals of Rocky Mountain Wild are tucked away into naturalistic enclosures nestled into Cheyenne Mountain giving visitors a true sense of how the animals live in the wild.

Pahapi and Kuuyi, residents of the exhibit since 2008 after arriving from Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas, were introduced to Pivane and Enapay, who came from Minnesota Zoo in 2011.  Following the required quarantine period of 30-days, the two pairs of brothers engaged in a “Howdy-time” through the meshed walls of their den allowing each otter to become acquainted with the scents of the opposing pair. Once in direct contact with one another, they have become excellent swimming pals.

Pahapi climbing down from his elevated perch

The otter enclosure within Rocky Mountain Wild was well planned by staff and architects.  There is a long hill leading to a deep pool, providing the four ample opportunities to enjoy snow-sliding in the winter and mud-sliding in the spring and summer.    The otters also have a very interesting elevated portion of their enclosure, accessible only by a long tree-trunk angled between ground and the perch, giving the otters a chance to practice their climbing and balancing skills.  Within the penthouse is a pool with a clear plastic bottom that allows visitors to view them from below, thus witnessing very different otter behavior than can be seen in typical enclosures that show them swimming from the side or walking on land.

The four otters are fed a variety of items; trout, crab, lobster, freshwater mussels, salmon, tilapia and grouper constitute their protein sources while they receive yams and carrots for their vegetable intake.  Each otter is fed 1.5 lbs. of fish per day.  They are also given a ground meat protein similar to Carnivore Diet used in many other zoos and aquariums.  

Enrichment is vital in all zoological facilities to ensure that the animals are maintaining natural behaviors as well as having an enriched life in captivity.  At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Pivane, Enapay, Pahapi and Kuuyi are enriched through items such as ice blocks, a mounted mirror in their den, sunken seaweed in the pools, donut shaped toys and other items.  CMZ staff also find fallen trees and branches, as well as small boulders, on the lands surrounding the zoo to introduce to the enclosure and give interesting new areas to the otters.   Similar to other facilities, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo engages their resident otters in a “Go Swim” behavior where fish are thrown into their pool and they are told to “Go Swim” to get their prize.

 

Kuuyi

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo hopes their visitors make connections to their animals and spread the message about the importance of habitat conservation and, specifically for otters, clean water.  Staff members are continuously sharing the conservation message with guests.  The Zoo has a zookeeper shadow program, where one can go behind-the-scenes to work directly with a zookeeper and help care for their favorite animal.  Kids’ birthday parties are also a big hit!  Here, children can encounter their favorite animal in a way regular visitors cannot.  Specifically with the otters, a child having a birthday gets to throw food to the otters.   These are just two of a myriad of programs the zoo offers to visitors interested in learning a bit more or having that once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. in summer months, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. all other months.  Check the zoo’s website (www.cmzoo.org) for specific hours on holidays.  

Otter News extends its sincere appreciation to zoo staff members Roxanna Breitigan, Jake Jachim, Katie Borremans and Erin Hobson for their time and assistance during the interview as well as facilitating our tour.

North American River otters Swim and Live Happy at The Pueblo Zoo

Written and submitted by Diane Tomecek

Freyja (turned away), Odin (center) and Thor (right)

Her name is Thelma.  She is a 9-year-old North American River otter with only three limbs who, as a young otter, was frightened to swim.  Her new sister, Freyja, an eight-month-old juvenile, has also faced difficulties in her young life.  They both, along with two male river otters, have idyllic homes at The Pueblo Zoo in Colorado. Why? Because The Pueblo Zoo has heart.  That’s what any visitor will think after a day there, especially a day visiting these four at their North American River otter exhibit.  For Thelma and Freyja, especially, finding a home at the zoo was like a dream come true. 

The Pueblo Zoo was established early in the twentieth century and was a city run facility until January 1991 when the Pueblo Zoological Society took over operations as a non-profit organization and has continued to care for the facility and its animals since then.

One might ask, ”Why river otters at The Pueblo Zoo?”  Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs and The Denver Zoo both have river otters, so why Pueblo as well?  Simply put, the fun and playful antics of otters make them a very popular exhibit at any facility.  Additionally, the public had asked for them!  Over the years, Pueblo Zoo staff members had conducted gate surveys containing a wish list of animals; visitors to the zoo consistently selected otters as the animal they wanted to see at the zoo.  Based on those results, the Pueblo Zoo embarked on a journey to give the public what they wanted. 

Thelma - missing her left foreleg

The first otter to arrive at the zoo was purchased from a private individual.  Thelma was wild-caught at a very young age and was kept by a citizen who used her in educational programs. One day her owner found her in her enclosure, left foreleg badly mauled by a predator.  Unfortunately, the limb had to be amputated. Because she was hand-raised and with people most of the time, Thelma was more familiar with normal human activity than she was otter activity.  She was not familiar with water and not too keen on the idea of swimming, only briefly plunging her right foreleg into shallow water.  Eventually, she was coaxed in and has become an excellent swimmer.  In fact, Zookeeper Melanie Pococke states that Thelma “can’t stay dry for more than five minutes now”.

The Zoo also has two males: 13-year-old Odin, named for the Nordic god of wealth, wisdom and inspiration and 11-year-old Thor, named for the Nordic god of thunder. They were wild-caught in Louisiana and then taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center in Telluride, Colorado.  When this center, now closed, was searching for a new home for the two males, the Pueblo Zoo promptly responded and brought “the boys”, as Pococke calls them, to meet Thelma.  Animals were now in place for the long awaited otter exhibit.

Odin

Before breaking ground on the new exhibit in the early 2000s, all the capital was raised for the 1,400 square foot facility.  The funds came through a variety of sources including, but not limited to, Great Outdoors Colorado, the city and county of Pueblo and private donations.  Paul Bluestone, an architect who had done substantial work with the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, designed the exhibit.  The enclosure has an 8-foot-deep pool and its land-water ratio is 60-40, which is pretty amenable to the otters, as they seem to happily enjoy their entire space.  In the summer, the otters have more fun and get to further cool off under a waterfall.  

In addition to the exhibit space, which is located just past the entrance to the zoo, the otters enjoy a substantial off-exhibit area.  Here, the otters have another section of open land that provides them a more rugged wild feel.  In the winter after a traditional Colorado snowstorm, the otters might enjoy spending as much time off-exhibit as on.  There is a steep hill that allows them to partake in their natural snow-sliding behavior. 

Over the years, the Zoo has attempted to breed Thelma with Odin or Thor, but the timing was off and pregnancy never occurred.  Because Thelma was aging past her prime breeding years and the Zoo remained interested in breeding North American River otters, Zoo curator Marilyn McBirney sought a younger female to introduce to the family of otters currently on site.  McBirney would find this youngster soon enough. 

Freyja

Freyja, who arrived in November 2011 as an eight-month-old female, is the newest member of the Pueblo Zoo’s river otter habitat.  She is named for the Nordic goddess of fertility and Zoo staff members remain hopeful she will live up to her name.  Without the act of a Good Samaritan in Florida, however, Freyja may never have made it to Pueblo.  She was a wild newborn pup, just weeks old having met a not-so-kind human who was carrying her by her tail.  Another individual, driving by, stopped suddenly after seeing the mistreatment and demanded the pup. Realizing Freyja needed more substantial care and that it was illegal to keep her, this kind-hearted person transported her to a place where she would receive proper care - The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge (http://ecwildliferefuge.com). 

Freyja’s arrival at the refuge coincided with a request that Curator McBirney had submitted to the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Otter SSP (Species Survival Plan), publicizing Pueblo Zoo’s desire for a young female otter if one became available. The fate of Freyja, the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and Pueblo Zoo were to be forever entwined from this point.  Freyja was soon sent to join the three other otters at Pueblo Zoo. 

Generally, two female North American River otters do not co-habitate well and the Zoo staff was prepared for the idea that Thelma and Freyja may need to live separate lives.  Additionally, there were concerns about jealousy between “the boys” over breeding opportunities and with Freyja entering the close-knit relationship between Thelma, Thor and Odin.  The introduction of Freyja to Thelma, however, went more smoothly than the staff could have dreamed.  Thelma took to Freyja almost immediately, and according to Pococke, “within twenty minutes, everyone was together” acting as if they had been reintroduced to long lost family members. 

Happily Swimming Along

To the delight of visitors of all ages, the four otters actively swim by the windows and enjoy sprinting around the land portion of their enclosure.  Pococke manages the daily enrichment for the otters and it is an active task.  She prefers to use a wide range of methods and devices during the three-times-per-day enrichment schedule.  She will hide food within a wide variety of items, including scrubbing brushes, pinecones, balls, baby rattles, PVC tunnels, dive rings, towels and burlap sacks, hollow bones and even a duck decoy.  These items are also used during non-feeding times to add to the interest of the landscape of the enclosure.  Pococke is also directly responsible for the otter training, ensuring each animal is trained to allow obtaining their weight and to perform “hip-presents”, which refers to the process zookeepers use to ensure the animal will present its rear flank for a veterinary injection. 

Thelma and Freyja
awaiting "Go Fish"

In addition to the training necessary for medical exams, Pococke is training to develop and maintain the otters’ natural behavior.  One method she employs she likes to call “Go fish”, and her star pupils are the two females.  As the name would indicate, Pococke throws pieces of fish far out into the pool and tells the otters to “Go fish”.  They race across the enclosure diving into the water to seek their reward, then race back to Pococke knowing another reward awaits them for returning to the initial spot. 

Pococke has even found that she can combine feeding and enrichment through food choice.  A favorite of the otters is corn-on-the-cob.  Once they’ve finished clearing the kernels off the tubular snacks, the floating cob becomes a fun toy in the pool.  Another fun food/enrichment combination is bananas, which pushes the otters’ natural puzzle-solving skills to remove the peel before consuming the white flesh.  For the main portion of their diet, they are fed capelin, smelt, herring, squid and, at times, freshwater mussels, oysters and shrimp.

Freyja with Corn-on-the-Cob

In addition to the work the Pueblo Zoo is doing to conserve the North American River otter, it participates in the AZA’s Species Survival Plan for many other species.  According to the Zoo’s website, a few of their most successful breeding programs include the lesser slow loris, the swift fox, the maned wolf as well as African penguins.  In addition to the otters, Pococke manages the African penguin exhibit and the breeding program. She proudly notes that the Zoo has successfully raised 54 penguin chicks and, at 37-years-old, has the oldest female African penguin in captivity.

The Pueblo Zoo – with its river otters, eagles, penguins, red pandas, African lions, red kangaroos, swift foxes, bobcats and Canadian lynx to name just a few – is well worth a visit.  Pococke, who has been on staff for more than 20 years, considers the Zoo her home away from home.  She and all staff members have a “true devotion to the animals” and that, after all, is what is most important and makes it a special place to visit.

The Zoo is open year-round, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.  It closes at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.  See below map for otter exhibit location (circled) in relation to entrance (starred).  For more information, visit www.pueblozoo.org. 

Otter News extends its sincere appreciation to The Pueblo Zoo, Zookeeper Melanie Pococke and Curator Marilyn McBirney for their assistance and behind the scenes tour of the North American River otter exhibit.