Gemma, Kai and Ren, led by older sisters, Stella, Mae and Selene and parents, Leia and Quincy are now exploring their home in Otters on the Edge. This newest trio of Asian small-clawed otters born on Jan. 31, 2023 stayed behind at first, until the family coaxed them out. The three pups began following their parents and siblings while cautiously learning the new terrain, including the pool. After a few opportunities to jump in, one of the pups slid into the pool cautiously while the other two fought gravity to stay out of the water.
The pups will be in the public habitat from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Please note that there may be days when the pups choose to stay behind the scenes. They are still nursing—their welfare, including growth and development is the top priority of the otter team. Advanced tickets are required to visit the Aquarium. Please plan ahead by purchasing tickets at NCAFF Admissions.
These attention-grabbing pups are also the face of a vulnerable species—Asian small-clawed otter populations are in decline. They are native to Indonesia, southern China, Southeast Asia and the Philippines and there, they face threats from residential and commercial development, deforestation, the illegal pet trade, pollution, climate change and poaching. Read more at About Asian small-clawed otters.
While one person can’t do everything, everyone can do something—individual actions in your community can protect local species and they can create a ripple effect that can lead to protections for species across the globe
- Buy shade-grown coffee—it’s produced on farms with a shade cover that provides important habitat for different species, preventing deforestation and destruction of homes for animals like Asian small-clawed otters.
- Don’t ever support illegally traded wild animals as pets.
- Think before you buy furs.
Read more at And Then There Were Eight.
See the Moment the New Pups Emerged