The monikers have been considered and the results are in – our two Small-clawed Otter pups have names!
Last month, keepers made the call out to the public to help them choose the perfect names for our youngest otter pair, male and female siblings born in March.
Hundreds of names were suggested and the results are in – meet Mani, a Thai-inspired name meaning “gem” or “jewel”, and Riaan, taken from the Hindi words “chhota raja” meaning “little king”.
This means the otter family now consists of parents Kalaya and Bao, older siblings Rama and Mali and young pair Mani and Riaan.
Ranging from parts of India and southern China to throughout Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam, Small-clawed Otters spend their lives hunting for fish, crustaceans and vertebrates in freshwater environments.
Sadly, these special mammals are classified as vulnerable in the wild mostly due to the destruction of their habitats.
Swamp forests in Asia are often converted for aquaculture, bringing otters into close proximity with humans.
Perceived as pests, the otters are then often killed as they eat the prawns and fish that farmers consume.
These new pups mark the second litter born at Adelaide Zoo since 2003.
Thank you to everyone who submitted their name ideas and we’ll be in touch with the winners shortly.
In the meantime, make sure you visit the family of six at Adelaide Zoo and we’ll see you soon!
