Have you spotted any otters on the loose lately? Two river otters escaped from NEW Zoo & Adventure Park in the Green Bay area last Thursday.
Louie and Ophelia are river otters that live at NEW Zoo & Adventure Park in Green Bay. They made their escape from their shared habitat during a winter storm. The fresh snowfall allowed for an easy view of their tracks and the trail of their exploration. NEW Zoo is in a 1600-acre park called the Reforestation Camp, a forested area with streams, ponds and marshes.
In the security footage released by NEW Zoo on Facebook, you can see the small mammals doing their “bounce, bounce, sliiiide” on their escape. The snow showed evidence of their efficient moving pattern that looks much like swimming. Otters create runs through thick patches of snow to slide forward and save energy.
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“When staff came in that morning, there were otter tracks everywhere. The otters had been exploring far and wide and they have very distinctive tracks so, it’s hard to miss,” says Carmen Murach, Zoo Director, “They had visited the playgrounds within the zoo, you know, they had just been back and forth exploring everything.”
Despite what you might think, river otters can endure the cold that the snow can bring, and they enjoy playing in it. After their escape, Louie and Ophelia can be seen in security footage roaming the area back and forth. Due to their thick fur coats, otters are equipped with waterproof insulation that helps them live in extreme cold temperature, allowing them to run and roll around in the snow.
River otters are native to Wisconsin, so it’s been uncertain which sightings are actually Louie and Ophelia. Additionally, similar sized mammals can be mistaken for otters from afar, such as mink, muskrats and groundhogs.
“We’ve been getting lots of reports from people who have caught a glimpse of an otter or seen otter tracks, and we’re interested to know where those are,” says Carmen, “But, just based on their behavior, the zookeepers who know them best feel like they can recognize them. So, until we have them and can scan microchips, we can’t be as certain as in who we think they are.”
Luckily, river otters do not have many predators in the area. The primary concerns for them in the wild are roads, cars and people attempting to capture them. NEW Zoo is not as concerned with their ability to survive on their own since they are native to the area. Various traps with Louie and Ophelia’s favorite foods have been set in hopes to lure them in.
Through security footage, it seems that the furry pair are starting to wind down and have been visiting the Reforestation Camp.
“Overnight, we have been leaving the gate to their yard cracked open and making sure their favorite meal is waiting inside their den, should they decide to return on their own. We are hoping that will be more appealing to them than some of the fish that they find in streams and ponds. That’s kind of been our strategy,” says Carmen.
The otters have not been spotted far from the camp, and NEW Zoo believes that any sightings outside a 20-mile radius are unlikely to be Louie and Ophelia. People who believe they have spotted the two are encouraged to submit a picture or video of any tracks along with the spotted animal.
“They are relatively nearby. We’re not really disclosing where exactly because we just want to make sure they feel safe where they are and that we are not accidentally driving them away by having gators come and try to help us look.”
