Very rare giant otter born in UK wildlife park - and he's absolutely adorable
Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP) is now the home to the most rare Giant Otters in Europe after another new adorable arrival. Busy otters, mum and dad Alexandra and Orimar, have been left with their hands full with the birth of their fifth pup in less than three years.
Alexandra gave birth to her first litter of one, a boy called Bonita on Boxing Day 2020 - a year after the happy couple arrived at YWP near Doncaster. Then the mum had triplets last April and finally Mateo arrived just seven months later in November.
Little Mateo hasn’t yet braved the outdoor lake but has been keeping visitors using the viewing window happy as he plays with his siblings in the indoor pool. Dad Orimar and his big brother Bonita have been helping mum by looking after the youngest family members.
“We are so excited by the expansion of our Giant Otter family,’ says Animal Director Dr Charlotte McDonald. “Alexandra and Orimar are fantastic parents, and the perfect reflection of Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s commitment to global conservation efforts.
“We hope that the birth of this pup will continue to inspire others to learn more about this precious species, and the important role that they play in the ecosystem.”
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Little Mateo hasn’t yet braved the outdoor lake (Supplied)Alexandra and Orimar arrived at the park in 2019 as part of a programme to help protect the species. Giant otters are endangered in its native Amazonian rainforests owing to water pollution, hunting, and deforestation. They are the longest of the otter species, reaching 1.6 metres when fully grown. Their size means Giant Otters can consume up to 4kg of fish per day.
Originating from South America, the species numbers are critically low. It is believed that Giant Otters have lost around 70% of their South American population range within the last decade.
Animal Director Charlotte Macdonald said: "We are delighted with the success that we have had with the giant otters in such a short space of time.
"Giant Otters don’t always breed easily and every birth is a significant and valuable one for the breeding programme. Mum Alexandra is very relaxed now looking after Mateo and will keep a careful eye on him as he starts exploring further afield. At the moment they are staying mainly indoors.
"Meanwhile, Bonita, the eldest sibling, has taken on the role of keeping the other youngsters entertained so that Alex can concentrate on the new cub. They are a proper family group now and we can’t wait to see them grow up together."
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