Buffalo Zoo welcomes new male North American river otter
The Buffalo Zoo is excited to announce the arrival of Cedrick, a male North American river otter who comes to Buffalo on a Species Survival Plan recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums!
Cedrick is just over 3 years old and was born on Feb. 7, 2022 at the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin. He arrives with a plan for future breeding with our two resident female North American river otters, Mindy (5) and Poppy (4).
Cedrick has begun the process of being introduced to his new habitat, and is adjusting very well! He has been seen swimming, sliding and scampering around in our Otter Creek exhibit during his first few days.
Keepers describe Cedrick as laid back and confident. He’s shown great confidence while exploring, and is very curious of Mindy and Poppy even though they haven’t officially met yet.
He will continue to adjust to his new surroundings, and eventually, begin introductions with Mindy and Poppy with the hope that they will breed in due time. As of now, he is rotating on exhibit with our two girls while he settles in.
North American river otter populations were declining in the early 1900s due to poor water quality and fur trading, but better water regulations, furbearer management and reintroduction projects have been valuable in restoring numbers in many areas throughout the United States. Due to the great work of conservation organizations like the Buffalo Zoo, the North American river otter is no longer considered a threatened species by the IUCN, and with current population strategies in place, the goal is to ensure that status remains.
In the wild, North American river otters have been known to reside throughout much of the eastern and northwestern U.S., including right here in Western New York, as well as large swaths of Canada. They are often observed sliding and interacting with each other. They can stay underwater for up to 8 minutes while swimming, and their special two-layered fur is water repellant to keep them dry and insulated.
Be sure to welcome Cedrick to Buffalo during your next Zoo visit!
