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Freshwater otter pup joins Monterey Bay Aquarium exhibit today

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18th December, 2007

The Salinas Californian, Salinas, California, USA

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a gift for its visitors. Starting today, the public can see a baby African spotted-necked otter in Wild About Otters – and help name the female pup.

The freshwater otter pup was born Sept. 27, behind-the-scenes at the Wild About Otters exhibit. The pup is the third African spotted-necked otter born at the aquarium. Two other female pups – Kazana and Ajabu -- were born to parents Neema and Denny on Nov. 3, 2006.

The healthy, 13-week-old female pup and mom Kamili were moved today from a behind-the-scenes area to their exhibit in Wild About Otters, where visitors can now see the pair. Aquarium staff made the decision to move mom and pup into the exhibit when they observed the pup’s ability to swim comfortably on her own and move easily in and out of the water.

Starting today, the public is invited to help the aquarium name the young female pup. By going to www.montereybayaquarium.org, people can choose between three Swahili names: Shani, meaning “curiosity” or “adventure” since the young pup enjoys exploring her surroundings; Ziwa, meaning “lake” or “pond” for the African spotted-necked otters’ love of their watery habitats; and Nukta, meaning “dot” because of a white spot of fur on the pup’s head.

Voting closes after two weeks on Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. The aquarium will announce the results of the contest and the new pup’s name in the first week of January.

One of the most charismatic otters in the freshwater otter exhibit, visitors may remember Kamili playing “chase” and swimming alongside them at the window of her exhibit. She and mate Kipenzi had been living in their enclosure in the Wild About Otters exhibit since it opened in March.

Aquarium staff discovered Kamili was pregnant by testing her hormone levels, and verified the pregnancy using ultrasound. Kamili was moved behind the scenes in mid-September to ensure a safe delivery. A young otter herself, Kamili is nearly 4 years old and is new to pup rearing.

The otter team is excited to watch Kamili raise this pup. “Kamili is such a playful otter, so mom and pup are having a lot of fun together. They spend a lot of time playing, especially in the water,” said Christine DeAngelo, associate curator of mammals.

Kamili and the pup are separated from dad Kipenzi, who has been moved behind the scenes and will join the family again sometime within the next few months. In the wild, females typically do most of the pup rearing, with a normal litter consisting of one to three pups.

The first several months are critical in assuring a pup’s survival. At three to four weeks old, an African spotted-necked pup’s eyes and ears open; up until that point they rely only on their sense of smell to find their mother. At two months, the pup begins to learn how to swim and the mother starts teaching them how to hunt.

By three to four months, river otter pups are weaned and rely on solid foods for their energy and hone their hunting skills until they leave and become independent at one year old, but stay near their family for another year or so.

The aquarium’s first mammal births Kazana (Swahili for “to busy oneself”) and Ajabu (“surprise”), the one year old “girls” as they are affectionately known by their keepers, are still extremely playful and active, keeping mom Neema and dad Denny busy with their antics. The family of four (Neema, Denny, Kazana and Ajabu) all live in the adjoining enclosure to Kipenzi, who will soon be reunited with Kamili and the pup.

“We are thrilled that the African spotted-necked otters are breeding while on exhibit at the aquarium, which indicates that they are healthy and comfortable with their surroundings,” said DeAngelo.

In the wild, African spotted-necked otters are found in family groups of a mother and her offspring until the pups reach about five months old and the father rejoins the group. Their cousins, the Asian small-clawed otter, which are on exhibit in Wild About Otters, are more commonly found living with extended family in large groups in their native Southeast Asian habitat.

The special exhibition Wild About Otters is scheduled to run into 2010. The exhibit highlights how freshwater otters – just like the popular sea otters at the aquarium, and people around the world – need clean water to thrive and survive. Currently featured are five (soon to be seven) African spotted-necked otters and four Asian small-clawed otters, along with remarkable tropical fishes, reptiles and plants that share the otters’ lush natural habitats. Actor and wildlife conservation advocate John Cleese narrates high-definition video clips in the exhibit, sharing conservation messages about the connections that link lakes, rivers and oceans.

The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans.