New Otter Pup Makes Debut at the Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo is about to get a little bit bigger (and cuter).

The zoo is expanding their animal catalogue to include a new family of Asian Small-Clawed Otters, including a new otter pup that was just born this spring. The otters will be part of a new exhibit in the jungle habitat section of the Bronx Zoo.

The otters come from many parts of the world, including Southeast Asia and the Philippines. The otters are part of a species that are now known as “vulnerable” due to their “habitat loss and exploitation.”

“Like all otters, the species is well adapted for a semi-aquatic life. Their elongated bodies and webbed feet make it easy for them to propel through the water,” the Wildlife Conservation Society shared in a press release. “They have dexterous paws that aid in finding and consuming food, and their fur is extremely dense and waterproof for temperature regulation.”

The exhibit will also highlight a group of endangered fruit bats who will join the otters in the Asian jungle exhibit. The bats are also known as Rodrigues flying foxes. They are found on the island of Rodrigues in the Western Indian Ocean and are “critically endangered,” shared NBC.

The award-winning exhibit is now open at the Bronx Zoo.