More super cute otter pups!

July 2024

Four more super cute otter pups, making it eight in total for parents Pippin and Katarni.

Keepers Emma and Becky enjoying holding the four pups during their vet check on 10th July.

Keeper Becky explains “Our vet Paul Hall confirmed this week that we have yet again three female and one male pup, which is the same as last year’s pups who are now fully grown. It’s going to be lovely for visitors over the summer holidays to see these little ones out and about with mum Pippin, dad Katarni and the rest of the family, playing, and learning to swim.

BELOW: Otter pups first swim

BELOW: Otter pups out with the family

It can look a little rough at times, as mum and dad like to ‘dunk’ them in the water, but they soon get the hang of it and then there is no stopping them. So we are expecting lots of fun and mischief from our expanded otter family this summer.

We have continued the Asian food theme names. Last year’s pups’ names were Sushi, Kimchi, Yuzu for the females and Dumpling for the male. The new little ones are called Biryani, Chapati and Pad Thai for the females and Noodle for the male.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy our summer holiday ‘Otter Spotter Special Quiz’ with an exclusive badge prize!”

It was love at first sight in April 2023 for mum Pippin who came from Woburn Safari Park and dad Katarni from Tilgate Nature Centre. Almost immediately they were gathering grass and straw to make a cosy home within the holt, not much more than year later and they have 8 pups!”

INFO
Asian Short-clawed Otters

• These otters, also known as Short-clawed Otters, are very social and form large family groups where brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles all help in rearing young.
• They communicate in little squeals and are very playful often rolling around with a pebble in their ‘hands’ or digging around a rock.
• They are the smallest otters, usually weighing about 5 kilos or 11 pounds. Their diet includes fish, meat and crab which they love. They like to eat little and often with short naps between meals.
• They are seriously threatened by rapid habitat destruction, hunting and pollution. Their population trend is decreasing despite being a protected species.