This little otter pup was found orphaned or abandoned near an Oregon road last month, and has luckily found his new home at the Oregon Zoo! The zoo writes:
The pup, just a couple of months old at the time, was alone, hungry and dehydrated, but was rescued by the Chintimini Wildlife Center in Corvallis. Since the young otter would not be able to survive in the wild without its mother, [the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife] contacted the Oregon Zoo to see if it had space available once the pup's health stabilized.
Last Thursday, the tiny pup was transferred to the zoo, where he is currently in the care of veterinarians and keepers. He's estimated to be about 2 or 3 months old, and weighed a little over 4 pounds on arrival.
"He's a spunky little otter," said Julie Christie, senior keeper for the zoo's North America section. "ODFW acted quickly when the lone pup was reported and Chintimini Wildlife Center did a terrific job nursing him back to health. He is very active in his current home. He is playing in his pool, eating voraciously and grooming himself — all behaviors we want to see right now... We have a very good track record with orphaned otters. Our adult otters, Tilly and B.C., were also rescued animals who had a rough start to life."
Visitors can see this little guy with Tilly and B.C. later this summer. Read more at the Oregon Zoo's site.
HT to Leonard!