He is small, dark, and handsome. And at the moment, nameless.
His pastimes include rolling in mulch, swimming to the bottom of his pool, and eating raw fish. Visitors to the Perkins Wildlife Center can observe him interacting with enrichment items, relaxing in the pond, and exploring the trees and logs and mud of his exhibit.
“He” is the museum’s new adult male North American river otter, who is adapting quite nicely to his new home, which he shares with the playful female otter, Lucy.
Staff members have been temporarily calling the little guy “Lucky,” but we have run into a few obstacles with this moniker. For one, “Lucky” and “Lucy” differ in spelling by merely a single letter, so at a quick glance it is very easy to confuse the two names. For instance, on the labels on their food containers. And on their medical files. And training paperwork. And enrichment records. And so on. Additionally, the names are fairly similar when spoken aloud, which could lead to confusion for the animals when we train them together on exhibit. As a solution, we have decided that Lucky needs an official name and that the public should have some input, and thus, a naming contest has been born!
We compiled a list of name suggestions and then held a top secret meeting to narrow down the choices, which will appear in a poll on the museum’s website. It was a difficult job eliminating many great submissions, and I am sorry to report that my own entry of “Officer Torpedo” did not make the cut. We selected four notable options, so keep checking the website and cast your vote!
In the meantime, the soon-to-be-officially-named male otter is having a fine time familiarizing himself with his new abode and the wildlife staff. We are also in the process of introducing him to Lucy, which is going well, and we hope the pair will be romping on exhibit together in the very near future. Be sure to visit Perkins to see him, and also be sure to vote for his name!
Michelle Leighty, CMNH Wildlife Specialist
