Virginia Zoo has welcomed three tiny new members to its family, their first Asian small-clawed otter pups!
Three male pups were born Aug. 25 to parents Elbe and Jilin, who joined the zoo earlier this year as part of a breeding program aimed at preserving the species.
The first month of an otter pup’s life is critical. Zoo staff have kept their distance, except for an initial vet exam to weigh and check the pups, allowing the family to bond without interruption.
Keepers have been checking on the pups visually three times a week to make sure they’re healthy. At one month old, the pups have started opening their eyes and moving around their nest box. They won’t have another vet exam or get vaccinations until they’re older.
Elbe and Jilin have been attentive parents, with Jilin playing an active role in caring for both Elbe and the pups. Keepers say the family is busy bonding behind the scenes.
“To say the team is excited about our three new additions is an understatement,” said Jake, keeper for Asia: Trail of the Tiger. “Watching our otter family grow has been an incredible experience! Parents and pups are all doing great and the pups are growing like weeds, hitting all the important milestones we expect. Elbe and Jilin have been doing a great job caring for the pups, so our team has been very hands-off, letting them do their thing and keeping daily care as normal as possible.”
Because the pups don’t yet have waterproof coats, introducing them to the outdoor habitat will be a slow process starting no sooner than nine weeks old. Elbe and Jilin will teach the pups to swim in shallow pools behind the scenes to keep them safe.
Depending on the weather and how the pups progress, the zoo hopes to have them visible to the public in about 14 to 16 weeks.
The Virginia Zoo will share updates and photos on its social media channels.