Ophelia the otter at the NEW Zoo in Suamico. (Photo courtesy of the NEW Zoo)
SUAMICO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — After nearly a month on the run, the NEW Zoo in Suamico remains optimistic that river otter Louie will be returned home.
On March 20 during winter storms, the NEW Zoo’s North American river otters, Louie and Ophelia, managed to escape their enclosure and eventually the zoo facility.
“It was devastating, you know, you never expect anything like that to happen, you’ve heard stories of other facilities where it’s happened, but then when it happens to you, your heart drops,” says Lindsay Haen, the zoo’s senior zookeeper, and the keeper for Louie and Ophelia.
But tracks in the fresh snow, along with sightings, indicated the two weren’t too far from home, and about a week later, Ophelia was trapped and returned.
“She actually never really left the area, she was close to home, so we were really happy to get her back,” says Angela Kawski, the zoo’s education coordinator.
“When we did get her, did I tell you it was just amazing. Your heart just kind of explodes that she’s home,” Haen adds.
But after nearly a month, Louie is still at large.
“You know, we’re still holding out hopes for Louie. Hopefully he’ll come back once he’s [done] out there doing all his adventurous otter things,” Haen says.
“We have been receiving reports, some sightings that seem like they’re very likely him and he does seem to be close by in the area,” Kawski says. “Basically, what we need is to have reports of him being in the same place more than once, and that’s how we would be able to set traps and actually get him back so we’re waiting for him to settle down a little bit.”
From what they’ve seen, Louie appears to be healthy and surviving just fine in the wild. While he is further away than Ophelia was, he is still nearby.
Part of why they believe Louie is moving around so much is because that’s what’s typical of young male otters during the breeding season.
“So it’s part of his instincts to be moving around a little bit exactly this time of year, that’s when they would be doing that in the wild, so he seems to be doing what he should be doing as an otter,” Kawski says.
Right now, there’s no indication that Louie has formed a bond or relationship with any wild otters, they say.
So in the meantime, Ophelia has the enclosure to herself.
“She is acting like herself, she’s doing all of her normal behaviors, otters in the wild can live together in groups, but they also do spend time apart so, this is normal for her.”
Zoo staff have repaired and filled in the fence line to avoid future escapes, and they’ve also added a hot wire to further deter them.
“Curiosity shouldn’t get the better of them again,” she adds.
They’re hopeful Louie and Ophelia will be reunited soon.
Comments