Ten-year-old male otter Buddy has arrived at DZG as a new mate for Keyah and she’s already fallen for him.
Section Leader, Jay Haywood, said Buddy (pictured above) and five-year-old Keyah had taken to each other from the moment he arrived from Lake District Wildlife Park.
ABOVE: Buddy and Keyah hit it off from day one
He said: “Buddy has really settled in well into the main enclosure and he was cuddling up to Keyah on his first night.
“They hit it off straight away and we’re very excited about forming a new breeding group.”
At DZG we have Asiatic short-clawed otters – the smallest of the world’s 13 species.
They have sleek bodies which are covered in a long water-repellent top coat and a soft thick layer beneath. These double layers of fur help to keep them dry and warm.
Otters have a strong muscular tail for propulsion and steering through water making them excellent swimmers.
DID YOU KNOW . . .
Otters can see better in water than out of it
Otter droppings are known as spraints and have a sweet, musky odour which they use for communication
