From an ignorant child to an independent otter, what does a little otter go through when growing up?

In the early morning of November 1, 2023,

A group of Asian small-clawed otters were born.

In the blink of an eye, I have been growing up happily for more than a year!

Otters say

They followed the footsteps of their father Cha Cha and mother Banna, and experienced the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. From "ignorant children" to "independent otters", what new skills did they learn in the process of growing up? What other interesting stories happened?

"Independent Otter" is developing...

The little otters not only learned the basic skills to survive, but also gradually developed their own "independent otter personality". The process of developing these "otter personalities" is of course inseparable from the words and deeds of Cha Cha's father and Banna's mother.

"Mobile Classroom"

01 Little architects, online!

Some of the little otters were influenced by their father Cha Cha and started to nest with Cha Cha - this is a very important life skill!

As the weather gets colder, even though the keepers thoughtfully add thick litter such as fallen leaves and straw to their nest boxes, these smart and independent little otters have their own ideas - "I have to do it myself"!

Searching and searching for usable materials

The "nest building project" was mainly led by Dad Cha Cha, and the little otters acted as little helpers. The little otters would follow Cha Cha happily, holding branches, leaves and other natural materials, and began to build their own comfortable and safe little home.

Little Otter: Can this material be used?

Look, these little architects are always busy. Whenever a plant peeks out, the little otters passing by will come forward to touch it.

Otter: We are children, we are very curious

Therefore, bananas, straw, and even sprouts from plants in the venue may appear in the otter's den.

The little otters' paws never stop moving.

In order to protect the plants, the otters worked together to build the fence, and the keepers also followed suit! The keepers fenced the heather tree with wood and inserted some branches left by roe deer as a vanguard, thinking that after the otters explored the branches left by the roe deer, they would not target the "not lush" heather tree... However, the result, in the end...

The otter family fell asleep peacefully in the pile of branches!

The otters said: This must be my new nest that I spent so much effort to build!

However, these little guys still prefer the little nests they built by themselves, where they can press them into the shape they want and curl up together to sleep.

When the temperature and humidity drop slightly, especially at night, the otters will choose to return to the inner room to rest. Whether to choose to sleep in the outdoor nest or the indoor nest is up to the otters themselves.

Enjoy the warmth of a heat lamp

02 Superb hunting technology, done!

After learning the "course" on how to build a nest with Dad Cha Cha, I will now follow Mom Banna's footsteps to learn how to become an efficient hunter.

It is obvious that the enthusiasm for this "course" is even higher!

After the keepers placed live loaches and eels in the water, they first observed quietly on the water surface.

Once they have locked onto their target, otters track their prey with amazing agility and precision.

Expression management is not in place

When approaching prey, the otter will suddenly speed up and quickly grab the fish with its powerful claws or bite the fish's body with its mouth. The whole process is very fast and often only takes a split second.

After capturing prey, otters usually enjoy the meal right in the water or bring the food to shore to savor it slowly.

Happy meal

Sometimes, clever otters will adopt some clever strategies, such as driving the fish to the shore or shallow water to make it easier to catch; or using obstacles such as rocks and branches to trap the fish, leaving them nowhere to escape.

It seems to be quite rewarding.

After eating, the little otters seemed to be injected with unlimited energy and began to play vigorously. The otters chased and played in the water or on the shore, showing endless joy and vitality.

“Big break” is the time to rest and play!

After the little otters have had their fun in the water, they will find a comfortable piece of sand on the shore, lie down lazily, and let the moisture in their fur slowly evaporate while basking in the sun.

After some fun and rest,

The otters will run together to their warm nest.

Haha, the fight started~

The little otters are still gradually developing their "independent personality".

Every day is filled with new exploration and growth.

Let us continue to pay attention to the otters!

Let's go home and sleep~

See you!