Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes Two Geriatric North American River Otters

Chicago (June 28, 2024) – Lincoln Park Zoo has two new semiaquatic residents! North American river otters Harriet and Oscar have settled into their habitat at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo.

The median life expectancy for North American river otters in accredited zoos and aquariums is 12.3 years. With Harriet at 17 years of age and Oscar at 18 years, these new arrivals are both considered geriatric, and Lincoln Park Zoo is committed to ensuring ensure they are able to live out the rest of their lives in comfort here in Chicago.

To welcome these aging otters, Lincoln Park Zoo has made numerous updates to the North American river otter habitat including building a new structure to better allow for trainings related to voluntary medical procedure and installing transition ramps to make traversing between different parts of their space easier.

Harriet arrived from ZooTampa at Lowry Park and Oscar arrived from Saint Louis Zoo. Creating a care plan for the otters has been a collaborative effort between the veterinary teams at Lincoln Park Zoo, ZooTampa, and Saint Louis Zoo. All three institutions are committed to making sure Harriet and Oscar have the best wellbeing at their new home.

“We’re proud to provide a lifelong home for Harriet and Oscar, a retirement plan of sorts,” said Curator Dan Boehm. “The teamwork in caring for these aging otters is a true testament to the dedication and collaborative nature of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institutions.”

North American river otters live in areas with permanent water sources, such as rivers, creeks, and streams, and play a vital role within their ecosystems as a keystone species. These otters often use burrows that have been abandoned by beavers or muskrats and eat a diet of primarily fish. Although once considered endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and fur trapping, the population is now stable thanks to water quality improvements, trapping regulations, and eventual reintroductions.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

Download b-roll here