Now, with the onset of cold weather, some heat-loving animals are transferred to winter quarters. But these small playful animals, animals of our fauna, live all year round in their enclosures, equipped with warm houses-shelters with passages in the form of long burrows, so that the animals can, as in nature, squeeze and dry their fur after bathing, because a significant part time these predators spend in water. Did you guess? Today we will talk about otters.
European river otter (Eurasian, common) (Lutra lutra) is a small predatory mammal that belongs to the marten family. It is a widespread animal in Eurasia and lives near bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, ponds and swamps. They are also found on the territory of Mykolaiv region.
Otters play an important role in the ecosystem, controlling the population of fish and other aquatic animals. Unfortunately, the number of otters is decreasing due to water pollution and loss of natural habitats, as well as poaching. Often animals settle near ponds for breeding fish and visit them for hunting, and such a neighborhood, of course, does not please the owners of the ponds, who, despite the protected status of the species (the otter is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine), kill the animals and catch them with traps. That is why keeping and breeding otters in zoos contributes to the preservation of the species.
Mykolaiv Zoo currently houses 8 otters, which are housed in pairs or families in several enclosures.
In a large new enclosure with a large pool, with green areas, with a whole system of artificial "burrows", live a pair of otters Tiulen and Krushyna, who were born in Mykolaiv Zoo. Next to them is an enclosure where the male Pip, who came from Rivne Zoo, lives. And in enclosures with square pools, located not far from the leopards, there are 2 families of otters: Liutyk and Georgetta live in one, and Syritka, Irys and their son Air live in the opposite enclosure.
Liutyk and Georgetta came to us from nature. Liutyk was found by a boy on the frozen Ingul river on February 1, 2014. Helplessly, the cub from the late litter (according to its size, it was determined that the animal was born around December) crawled around the ice and, probably, would have died if there was not a young savior. The cub's paws and the tip of its tail were frostbitten. Zoo employees treated and fed him. They named the animal Liutyk, because it was saved in February, and this name continued our tradition of "dynastic" "plant" names (besides the ones already named, we also had otters Rogiz, Osoka, Kubyshka, which are actually the ancestors of the otter population of our zoo; their children live not only in our zoo, but also in many zoos in Ukraine and abroad.
Georgetta was brought to the zoo in 2013 by residents of the Kherson region, who also found a helpless cub in nature, this time in the Dnieper floodplains. The parents were not near the children, so the orphan was taken home, fed and transferred to the zoo.
But an otter named Syritka was born in our zoo. This name was given because her mother Kubyshka paid little attention to this cub. She fed the other two, but for some reason separated this one, chased it away. Zoo employees noticed this behavior and decided to take the otter and feed it artificially. That's why they called the poor girl Syritka...
European river otters are incredibly interesting animals to observe. They are active, playful, inquisitive. For a long time, you can watch how flexible, agile animals chase each other, play, swim, eat or catch fish (otters in the zoo are fed meat (beef, chicken, chicken stomachs and hearts) and fish (they are offered hake, pollock, and when there is live pond fish, they are released into the pools in the enclosures so that the otters can show their hunting skill)). Often cute creatures run up to the lattice of the enclosure, squeak funny, pull their soft paws and nose towards the visitors, and offer to pet them. Don't believe brawlers! They have quick reactions and sharp teeth! It is not for nothing that the signs "Otters bite!" are hung near all enclosures. Can you read?!
But just spending time watching the playful creatures and not trying to pet the little "biters" is an incredible pleasure for children and adults!
