Last year, two young otters kept staff at Aspen busy before they were released. Lenny and Addy were a bundle of energy and non-stop action – bolting, darting, diving without pause.
19 years old
Our newest otter is the opposite.
Wilder is 19 years old. He arrived last month from Storybook Gardens, a theme park in London that will no longer house animals. He lived there for 18 years, arriving there from the wild when he was one year old.
Zoocheck
Brought to Aspen by Zoocheck Canada, and organization that works towards the safety and comfort of captive animals, Wilder is enjoying life in his new home.
Rolling in sand
He spends a lot of time rolling in the sand – a favourite new addition he didn’t have in his old home. He has carefully pulled bedding and straw into his wooden box, where he sleeps away the mornings.
Swims
He’s also enjoying swims, diving for his favourite food – smelt dinners.
He’s comfortable when visitors watch him in action, but at 19, he’s just as often caught comfortably snoozing. With the help of Zoocheck Canada, we look forward to building a new, outdoor retirement enclosure where Wilder will spend the rest of his days.
An ambassador
He’ll be one of Aspen’s ambassadors, a rare opportunity for visitors to get a close-up look at otters we might only catch glimpses of in the wild.
Visit Wilder
Starting on the May long weekend, when the sanctuary opens for visitors on Sundays and Wednesdays, summer visitors are welcome to come out and meet Wilder, and the other permanent ambassadors that teach us about the animals in the wild around us.
(These weekly articles are contributed by staff at the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife with a mandate to educate the public towards a better understanding of local fauna.)
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