/ The largest saltwater talk at the Columbus Zoo in Columbus, Ohio on January 9, 2014. To read about this trip go to / To download pictures please visit or here The population at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium grew last Friday with the birth of North American river otters. Zoo staff accessed the den for a quick health check and confirmed the birth of three males each weighing between five and six ounces. The pups will remain secluded in the den with their mother for approximately two months when she will bring them outdoors and teach them to swim. This is the third litter of otter pups for mother Audrey and father Babar. The most recent pups, also a litter of three, were born at the Columbus Zoo on March 18, 2008 and are now living at other zoos. The river otters reproductive cycle involves delayed implantation of the fertilized egg resulting in a gestation period of 290-380 days. The newborn pups are silky black, blind, toothless, and helpless. River otters were historically distributed throughout much of North America including Ohio but were rare by the early 1900s. Improvements in water quality and trapping management, along with a reintroduction effort, have enabled this species to recover. A reintroduction program beginning in 1998 in Ohio resulted in the river otter being removed from the Ohio endangered species list in 2002. They can now be found in four eastern Ohio watersheds. Thirteen species of otter live in the freshwater streams, rivers, lakes and coastal areas of five continents North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe (there are no otters in Antarctica or Australia.) Through the Zoos Conservation Fund, researchers in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Peru receive support to train young otter biologists, protect habitat, and educate local populations about the important role otters play in wetland and coastal ecosystems. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is open every day of the year 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. after Labor Day. General admission is 12.99 for adults, 7.99 for children ages 2 to 9 and seniors 60+. Children under 2 and Columbus Zoo members are free. The Zoo was named the #1 Zoo in America by USA Travel Guide and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA.) For more information and to purchase advance Zoo admission tickets, visit .Beco (BEE-co), the Columbus Zoos baby elephant, made his first scheduled public appearance just one week after his much anticipated birth. Zoo visitors will be able to see the baby and his mother Phoebe in their indoor habitat every day beginning Friday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Viewing times will be expanded as the baby grows stronger. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is open 363 days a year 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. after Labor Day. General admission is 12 for adults, 7 for children ages 2 to 9 and seniors 60+. Children under 2 and Columbus Zoo members are free. The Zoo was named the #1 Zoo in America by USA Travel Guide and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA.) For more information and to purchase advance Zoo admission tickets, visit . For more information about the Columbus Zoo please visit , Facebook -... , iTunes and you can follow us on . (c) Columbus Zoo and Aquarium 2009Two Amur tiger cubs were born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on June 28 and 29, 2012. The first arrived at 10:41 p.m. and the second about four hours later. The newborn cubs, weighing just two to three pounds at birth, were initially monitored by the animal care team using a remote feed from a camera mounted in the den. The team was already concerned about the health of the first cub which, despite nursing successfully shortly after the birth of the second cub, had not nursed for an extended period and appeared to be weakening when the Zoo lost power on the evening of June 29 due to a powerful storm. Since they were unable to monitor the activity in the den, the team made the decision to remove both cubs for hand rearing. The cubs are being raised together for companionship and socialization. The cubs are currently in intensive care in the Zoos Animal Health Center their condition is not yet stable. It is unknown when Zoo visitors will be able to see them. These cubs are the first for five-year-old female, Mara, and nine-year-old male, Foli. They are the first Amur tigers ever born at the Columbus Zoo the last birth of any tiger subspecies at the Columbus Zoo occurred in 1990. The pairing of Mara and Foli was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan (SSP) for tigers. The AZA, of which the Columbus Zoo is an accredited member, strives to maintain a sustainable population of tigers in North America. The tiger is the largest of all cat species. Native to Asia there are six living and three extinct subspecies of tige

• published: 01 Mar 2014
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