Otters

A young male North American river otter, affectionately named Opie, was brought to Clearwater Marine Aquarium following a dog attack that injured his right eye. The otter had been receiving care at Homosassa’s Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary and was transferred to CMA to receive additional medical care from our experienced veterinarians.

Opie has been deemed non-releasable as he has been habituated by humans and no longer has the instincts necessary to survive in the wild. Following a quarantine period at CMA, he will be introduced to Walle and Boomer and reside in Otter Oasis.

Please be aware that otter kit season runs from November through March. If you see an otter kit alone, please call your local wildlife agency and do not approach or touch the animal.

Walle was rescued from the wild as a very young otter. His rescuer raised him on his boat and thought he was doing the right thing by keeping him as a pet. As Walle continued to grow and develop, his caretaker recognized that caring for a juvenile otter was much more intense than a regular household pet and assumed that if Walle were placed back into the wild, he would resume life as a normal otter. Much to his caretaker’s dismay, Walle returned to the boat. What his caretaker did not know was that North American river otters must learn survival skills from their mothers and family group. Walle’s caretaker realized that Walle would continue to return, so he was transported to a wildlife rehabilitator in Gainesville, FL. Shortly after that, Clearwater Marine Aquarium received a call from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asking if Walle would be able to reside at the aquarium under the care of our animal care staff.

Prior to coming to CMA, Walle was transported to Homosassa State Park and was put under quarantine to be sure he was not harboring any diseases or parasites. During this period, staff members were sent to the park to familiarize themselves and begin building a relationship with Walle.

Boomer, a North American river otter, was born in January 2018 and was transferred to CMA on October 15, 2018, from another animal care facility.  Boomer came to CMA to be a social partner for Walle, a rescued and non-releasable otter, who was residing by himself at that time. As with Winter and Hope, Walle and Boomer became fast friends and continue to have a fun relationship.