Otters testing the waters at newly renovated Detroit Zoo habitat

DETROIT – The otters at the Detroit Zoo are testing the waters in their newly renovated habitat. 

The Detroit Zoo announced Friday that the otter habitat expansion has been completed, thanks to a gift from the Edward Mardigian Family Foundation.

The habitat has more than tripled in size, from 680 to 2,500 square feet.

The aquatic area has been expanded from 5,900 to 9,000 gallons of water, with an outdoor area that includes streams and beaches.

“It’s important that we provide animals with habitats that are naturalistic and expansive and that ensure they are thriving and not just surviving,” said Scott Carter, Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) chief life sciences officer. “The otters have more room to roam – and swim – and visitors have more viewing options.” 

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) weighs 20-30 pounds, and its slender, cylindrical body reaches 2-3 feet in length. The semi-aquatic mammal sports short, dense, waterproof fur and profuse whiskers. The playful river otter is swift on land as well as in the water, though its loping trot can look somewhat ungainly compared to its graceful glide through the water.

Once abundant in U.S. and Canadian rivers, lakes and coastal areas, river otter populations have suffered significant declines due to fur trapping, water pollution, habitat destruction, pesticides and other threats. Today, the animal can be found in parts of Canada, the Northwest, the upper Great Lakes region, New England and Atlantic and Gulf Coast states.