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Baby Otter Triplets Go Swimming for First Time
The 15-week-old pups are being taught to swim as part of a breeding programme aimed at protecting an endangered species.
- At 15 weeks old, three giant otter pups at Chester Zoo in Cheshire are experiencing their first swimming lessons. Led by parents Bonita and Manu, the triplets were gently placed into the water to begin learning essential skills.
- Zookeepers named the two boys Uca and Yali after the Amazon, while the female, Yara, means 'river spirit' in Brazilian folklore. Parents Manu and Bonita used a 'thrown in at the deep end' approach, gently guiding the pups into the water.
- Keeper Frazer Walsh, on the zoo's carnivore team, noted giant otters possess webbed feet and waterproof fur but still require parental guidance to learn basic aquatic skills. The pups are already finding confidence to swim independently, he said.
- The pups' birth at Chester Zoo supports an international conservation breeding programme in European zoos. This initiative aims to protect the species from extinction, as giant otters face significant threats in the wild from habitat loss and pollution.
- Giant otters are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Conservationists estimate only 2,000 to 5,000 remain across South America, making these breeding efforts vital to prevent species extinction.
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Rare baby otter pups begin swimming lessons at U.K.'s Chester Zoo
Three rare giant otter pups have begun swimming lessons at the U.K.'s Chester Zoo. Led by mum Bonita and dad Manu, the rare pups were picked up by the scruff of their necks and popped straight in at the ‘deep end.'
·Canada
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Total News Sources27
Leaning Left3Leaning Right6Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
14%
C 57%
R 29%
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