(C) BoingBoing
This story was originally published by BoingBoing and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



River otters break out their zoo to play in the snow [1]

['Gail Sherman']

Date: 2025-03-25

A pair of North American river otters at the New Zoo Adventure Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin, decided to take an unauthorized field trip during a snowstorm. The otters, named Louie and Ophelia, enlarged an opening in their enclosure and escaped. The wily duo didn't immediately make use of their new-found freedom to run for the hills but instead had some fun in the snow.

Tracks and overnight camera footage showed that both otters appeared to have enjoyed the snowfall, romping around the zoo, frequently sliding on their bellies and exploring nearby water bodies. Prints showed they traveled through Reforestation Camp property, circling back to the Zoo perimeter fence repeatedly, never straying particularly far from home. This behavior is very typical for otters, as they are territorial and prefer to stay close to what's comfortable and known to them. New Zoo Adventure Park

Screenshot: New Zoo Adventure Park Facebook page

The zoo hired a tracker and asked the public to share photos or videos of sightings to assist with the search. Numerous sightings have already been reported. The zoo had initially suggested that the otters might return to their enclosure on their own, but Louie and Ophelia seem to have other plans. They were both born in the wild, and the surrounding area is well-suited to the otters, so if they decide to end their zoo adventure, they will likely make out just fine.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/03/25/river-otters-break-out-their-zoo-to-play-in-the-snow.html

Published and (C) by BoingBoing
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/boingboing/