Spring is just a couple of weeks away, and everyone knows what that means: babies! Here in Ituri Forest at the San Diego Zoo, we have a jump start with our new African spotted-necked otter pup. Pori gave birth to a single pup the first week of January and has kept her safe and warm inside her den. The three otters that currently share the exhibit with the Allen’s swamp monkeys and DeBrazza’s guenons have inside den access at night. Pori’s pup was born in one of these dens, away from dad Mzee and their son, Khalil, and has stayed inside since then. This has allowed the keepers to monitor her growth by weight and provide her with all of the necessary vaccinations.

Last week, we noticed her eyes were open and she can quickly scoot herself around the den, usually trying to get away from us! This is a good indication that she will be ready to emerge on exhibit soon. We want to make sure she will be safe to negotiate the exhibit with mom when they do go outside. The otters have dug quite a few dens under the soil on exhibit as well, so mom and pup may go right from an inside den to an outside one. Pups can begin swimming at 8 weeks old and are weaned by 16 weeks. Keepers have provided a large tub of water inside the den, just in case Pori wants to get a head start on swimming lessons!

African spotted-necked otters look similar to other river otters, with the exception of distinct brown and white spots on their throats and undersides. In the wild, otters are crepuscular, hunting at dawn or dusk and feeding primarily on fish, frogs, crustaeans, mollusks and crabs. Here at the Zoo, we try to keep to that schedule, feeding each otter twice a day. In the early morning, they receive the Zoo’s specially formulated carnivore diet and trout or squid. In the evening, they receive cat kibble, yams or carrots, and a small meatball treat for coming into their den. They also receive live crawfish for enrichment at least once a week, a favorite for them and our guests!

Otters in the wild and here at the Zoo are very playful animals. They are frequently seen interacting with the monkeys on exhibit, either wrestling together on land or swimming up to surprise the monkeys from under the water. When the weather is warm, the Allen’s swamp monkeys enjoy swimming as well, diving and playing with the otters in the water. This makes for a wonderful time by all! We can’t wait until our newest otter makes her debut and joins in the fun!

Nerissa Foland is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

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