Feature:
Otters Return to Splashy ‘Underwater Mansion’
“After a 2-year absence, the hugely popular otters are back at the newly revamped Ecomuseum Zoo in Ste.-Anne-de-Bellevue.
The Ecomuseum officially unveiled its new river otter habitat...a 6,000 square foot home for the otters that is 7 times larger than their previous digs.
The splashy new otter mansion, which cost $14 million, features a giant 250,000 litre water basin, 55 times larger than the previous pond...
Henceforth, zoo patrons will be able to watch the otters frolic about from 3 newly-designed observation decks, including 2 underwater observation points...
The basin will serve as the new home of 3 river otters- 2 males & 1 female, all approximately 2 years old- who were recently acquired from Louisiana in the southern U.S.
...the playful otters & their new home could well prove to be the most popular attraction at the non-profit zoo, which mostly provides refuge dor injured & orphaned wildlife.
‘They’re extremely popular with the public’.
...otters play the ‘role of ambassadors’ with the public, a connection that is helped along because ‘river otters are so human in many ways.
It looks like they’re smiling & they’re full of energy. People really appreciate that & connect with them’...
Ecomuseum officials spent the past year carefully redesigning & rebuilding their expanded home at Montreal’s only outdoor zoo...
The enlarged water basin allows the otters more depth to swim; the sculpted ground area provides more room for them to roam.
‘In the wild, otters spend a lot of time hiding in & under river banks...’
Zoo officials will solicit the public’s suggestions via Facebook before naming the new otters.”
John Meagher
in The Montreal Gazette
Feb. 1/2017
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