FORT FISHER — Staff and volunteers at the Aquarium are experiencing a Groundhog Day, only it’s Otter Day.
For the second time in less than a year, N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher staff are celebrating the arrival of a trio of Asian small-clawed otter pups, born Tuesday, Jan. 31. The pups are growing and bonding with parents, Leia and Quincy, and siblings Stella, Mae and Selene, behind-the-scenes at the NCAFF Otters on the Edge habitat.
Leia’s second successful pregnancy and delivery represents continued success in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plan Program. She is among 13 breeding female otters in the AZA SSP Program in the United States. Asian small-clawed otters are a vulnerable species in their native habitats of Indonesia, southern China, southern India, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines.
“Being a part of the AZA SSP program and continuing to support the survival of this vulnerable species is very rewarding to all of us at the Aquarium. We are keeping a close eye on the family since now there are siblings in the mix, and it is important that the family has a safe and quiet place to bond with their newest members,” said Shannon Anderson, aquarist and otter keeper, NCAFF.
