The Seneca Park Zoo is proud to house the oldest otter in captivity! Admiral the North American river otter celebrated his 21st birthday on January 29th of this year. This is really a milestone for him and for the Zoo! High standards in animal husbandry and veterinary care are crucial for the longevity of the Zoos animals and Admiral’s longevity is just one example of this accomplishment. In the wild North American River Otters live to be about 10 years and about 20 years in captivity (at max!) but Adimral is still going strong!
In fact, just a few years ago Admiral entered a training routine with his ZooKeeper Catina learned many new trained behaviors that were used in the Seneca Park Zoo‘s Summer Animal Demonstrations. Admiral has been impressing crowds for the past two years with his behaviors like his high dive off the waterfall, target training, and even recycling!
Admiral and Zoo Keeper Catina showing off his recycling skills (Photo by Kelli O'Brien)
Of course, these are not “tricks” Admiral is doing but trained behaviors that contribute to his healthy life. Training is a form of enrichment that helps to keep animals in conservation care mentally and physically active. Training also helps him to form bonds with his keepers and mimic some of the behaviors he would do in the wild. Training is a win-win for both the animals and the Keepers!
We hope for Admiral (or Ady as his Keepers like to call him) has many more years to come!
