Otter pups born at Edinburgh Zoo receive first health check

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is celebrating the birth of six adorable Asian small-clawed otters at Edinburgh Zoo. Born on 23 May to parents Barry and Luna, the pups recently received their first health check. Expert vets at the wildlife conservation charity confirmed they are five boys and one girl. All pups are doing well.

Alison MacLean, carnivore team leader at Edinburgh Zoo said, “We are delighted to welcome our newest additions, who are already proving to be very feisty. Barry and Luna arrived at the zoo in 2020 and have previously shown themselves to be very attentive parents. They can often be seen swimming and diving with their older pups in the stream in their enclosure.

“With the addition of the new arrivals, we now have 14 Asian small-clawed otters here at the zoo. The species live in family groups consisting of a mum and dad then their older offspring who help to raise the younger ones.”

At just nine weeks old, the pups are still dependent on mum and are spending most of their time in their underground holts. Lucky visitors might be able to see them exploring their enclosure and learning more about their surroundings in the coming weeks.