Beneath the Surface: Part 2

The Otter Adventures Continue

On my first day at the NC Zoo, I was following my new lead keepers around to observe everything to get a feel for my new position and what would be expected of me. As it happened, the African Plains section had an off exhibit breeding facility for some of the more endangered animals under our care. Housed in a small barn far away from the rest of the park animals, it was close to the zoo hospital, in the woods for privacy and quiet.

Having arrived early to prepare for a procedure, I was given my first tour of this area, which had not been shown to me when I had come for my interview. Suddenly, two sets of tiny, very human looking hands stuck out from beneath a stall door, and I was shocked to see the two bristly, whiskered faces of a pair of Cape Clawless Otters. I almost wept for joy, and I had to choke back my emotional reaction lest my new coworkers think I was nuts. They would have no way of knowing my secret connection to otters. But what a lovely surprise to find I would not only be working with lots of hoofstock, and occasionally rhinos and elephants, but also with a gorgeous breeding pair of otters.

Immediately, my two new instafriends, who were much larger than American river otters, stuck their adorable little hands out under the door of their stall again, wiggling their fingers in a universal signal for “gimme.” There was a one inch gap for washing the muck out of their stalls into the drains which was perfect for them to reach their arms and hands out up to the shoulder. I quickly learned these adorable otters with their ridiculously cute hands had conned many a keeper out of all the goodies. They were definitely expert manipulators and not too proud to beg. They loved nothing more than being handed snacks every morning when their keepers arrived on scene for the day.