Press release from Sunset Zoo:
Manhattan’s 26-acre Sunset Zoo recently welcomed a seven-year-old, female Asian Small-clawed Otter. She will join Bagus, an eleven-year-old male otter, already on exhibit. The addition is currently completing a 30-day-quarantine process, a requirement of all new animals, before Animal Keeper staff begin introductions.
“Otters are very social animals, making them quite popular among Zoo guests. Not only will the community love the new addition, it’s good for this species to be exhibited in groups,” said Scott Shoemaker, Zoo Director.
Introductions with Bagus and the new female will begin as soon as the otter receives a clean bill of health from the Zoo’s veterinarian team. At that point, keeper staff will allow supervised interactions between the two animals and will continue this process until the two are comfortable with one another. Typically, the introduction process can take several weeks to a few months, depending on the animals’ personalities.
With the introduction process and the winter season, it may be a couple of months before the public sees the pair routinely together in their outdoor exhibit. All SZ residents have temperature thresholds for outdoor access – too hot or cold and the animals remain indoors. Staff will provide updates on the otters’ introduction process through the Zoo’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest), as well as the Zoo’s email news blasts.
The new otter comes to the Little Apple from Minnesota Zoo, a fellow Association of Zoos & Aquariums Accredited institution, and is currently without a name. Community members are encouraged to help name the new addition through an online voting contest at SunsetZoo.com/Otters. The contest ends at 11:59pm on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2015.
Asian Small-clawed Otters are the smallest of the world’s otters and native to Southern Asia. Its size and small claws distinguish it from other otters, and the charismatic mammal is equally at home in water and on land. Highly vocal, the otters use at least 12 calls to communicate with family members from greeting to mating to alarm calls.
