The four pups – 2 male and 2 female – will be available to view starting in the spring.
TOLEDO, Ohio — Zoogoers are advised to get ready to fall in love with these otterly delightful additions to the Toledo Zoo family.
The zoo is bubbling with excitement as it introduces its newest, and possibly cutest, residents: four North American river otter pups.
Born to proud parents Tilly and Winston, who have been zoo residents for six years, the two male and two female pups made their grand entrance on Dec. 7.
While the gestation period for otters is only about two months, the fertilized eggs remain dormant for several months due to a process called delayed implantation. This ensures the pups are born during the optimal seasons of winter and spring, giving them the best chance to thrive.
Both Tilly and her pups are doing swimmingly well, receiving regular check-ups from the zoo’s keepers. For now, Winston is taking a temporary break from family duties, as female otters are the primary caregivers for their young. The zoo said in a social media post that Tilly is showing natural mothering skills and exceptional care for her little ones.
Before the pups make their public debut this spring, they’ll be learning to swim in a small pool and will be gradually introduced to Winston in a controlled environment.
On Jan. 31, the zoo revealed the names of the newcomers: Sutton and Talon, both males, and Tallulah and Kaya, both females. See the social media post below:
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