Otter News Archive
Otters born at Erie Zoo
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2nd March 2010
Erica Erwin
Erie Times-News, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
The newest residents of the Erie Zoo together have 20 webbed feet, five sets of whiskers and one claim to fame: They're the first litter of North American river otters born at the zoo.
Mimi, one of two adult female otters at the zoo, gave birth to five pups on Jan. 9, but has only recently moved them out of an indoor cubbing den where they were born and into view, Erie Zoo President Scott Mitchell said earlier today. The pups opened their eyes earlier this week, he said.
The zoo's adult male otter, Scooter, fathered the litter.
"She's been a great mom," Mitchell said of 3-year-old Mimi. "She's eating like a pig, and they're growing like weeds."
The litter marks the first time otters have been born at the zoo, and it's a large one: Zoo officials couldn't find any other zoo across the country with litters larger than five, Mitchell said.
"We knew she had pups because we heard squeaks," Mitchell said. "We heard at least two distinct squeaks, but we couldn't tell (how many were born). We were stunned when she brought out five."
The sex of the baby otters has not yet been determined, Mitchell said. Zoo officials likely won't name them because it will be hard to tell them apart, he said.
The baby otters will move outside in about a month, when Mimi will start to teach them how to swim in a small pool, Mitchell said. A second, larger, pool will be filled with straw or other filler until the pups learn to navigate the water, he said.