Otter-ly adorable Odie puts his paws up for World Otter Day
Charismatic and playful Asian small-clawed otter, Odie, is celebrating World Otter Day in style at Melbourne Zoo with a luxurious ‘spa day’.
The adorable six-year-old father of four is kicking his paws up by lounging in his new heated pool with his significant otter, Paula, and their full-grown pups.
Wild Sea Life Sciences Manager Harna Burton said the fast, curious and clever species are the only mammals that spend the majority of their life in water.
“The whole family are so energetic and curious and are spending the chilly winter days as a family unit cuddling in their heated box and swimming in their heated pool,” Ms Burton said. “It’s fascinating to watch the close family bond as they spend the days huddling up together.”
Although the small-clawed otter is the world’s smallest of the 13 otter species, the family has big personalities and an even bigger appetite.
“This species of otter are amazing foragers and eat a third of their body weight in shellfish every day,” Ms Burton said. “They use their dexterous hands and opposable thumbs to feed on shelled animals, which is amazing to see.
“Odie is an especially good father and always shares his food before digging in himself.”
Asian small-clawed otters are native to rainforests in northwest India, southeast China, the Malay Peninsula and parts of Indonesia. They are classified as vulnerable in the wild, with human threats such as poaching and habitat destruction to make way for residential developments and tea, coffee and palm oil plantations all contributing to the worrying decline of their population.
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