SWEET TARKA
Rare otters find love
THERE’S a whole otter love at London Zoo, with two new residents getting matey together in the enclosure.
Pip, aged three, and Tilly, five, are rare Asian short-clawed otters, who were brought in to hopefully start their own colony.
The zoo’s Tina Campanella said: “During their first few days of settling in, Tilly and Pip enjoyed ball games and exploring forage bags, boxes, tunnels and rotten logs.
“They even had floating boats filled with fish, and flowerpots stuffed with hidden treats.
“Despite all the entertainment on offer it was the humble ping pong ball they enjoyed the most.
“Tilly and Pip were seen happily juggling and playing with these throughout the day in between eating fish and swimming in their pond.”
While most otters prefer to live on their own, this species is sociable, with pairs mating for life.
Tilly and Pip arrived from Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire
OUR vet Brian Faulkner, from Petplan, has 22 years of experience and is a freelancer working all over the country. Send your questions to Brian at: Petplan, Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via Petplan’s Facebook page f acebook. c om/
Petplanuk. and like all new arrivals, they spent 30 days in quarantine, watched over by vets, scientists and keepers.
Tina added: “The quarantine process involves disease- screening, health checks and treatment to make sure they are in tip- top condition before they move into their new home.
“But quarantine isn’t dull. Animals are treated to exciting activities, making sure their stay prepares them for life in their new enclosure.”
The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species in the world and is native to south Asia. But there are not a lot of otters, due to habitat destruction, hunting and pollution.
Tina added: “Our last group was all female and they moved to our sister zoo, Whipsnade, a short while ago.”
They live in families with only the alpha pair breeding. Offspring from previous years help raise the babies.
So keepers hope to hear the pitter patter of tiny paws in their new London pad very soon.
Visit Pip and Tilly and save 10 per cent by booking online at zsl.org. MY British shorthair cat is five and her tongue has swollen up. Could she have bitten it accidentally or might there be another reason?
Babies
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