News

Lake District Wildlife Park is delighted to announce that two smooth-coated otters named Annie and Noor, have settled in well. The pair arrived in spring as part of the Park’s collection conservation plan.

Annie, the female of the pair, joined the Park from Yorkshire Wildlife Park, while Noor, the male, travelled from Pairi Daiza in Belgium. The pair have been brought together as part of the European Endangered Species Programme, which coordinates zoological collections across Europe to support the responsible management and conservation of species.

The arrival of Annie and Noor also marked the opening of a specially designed new otter enclosure, created to give the pair plenty of opportunities to swim, explore, play and display their natural behaviours.

Their new home includes an indoor heated house and nest box, as well as a large outdoor area featuring a descending river with a series of pools leading down to a natural river-fed pond. And it hasn’t taken the pair long to make themselves at home.

Smooth-coated otters are highly active animals and, with their fast metabolism, Annie and Noor always seem to have one thing on their minds – food! Their keepers say the pair are constantly hungry and always on the lookout for their next meal.

When they’re not eating, Annie and Noor spend much of their time swimming, playing and frolicking together in the water.

There is, however, no doubt about who is in charge. Annie is the larger of the two and is definitely the boss! Noor may be the male of the pair, but Annie appears to have firmly established herself as the one in charge as the two settle into life together.

The keepers have also spotted another particularly exciting development. Annie and Noor have been busy digging a hole into the bank of their pond. Could they be creating a holt? Otters naturally use holts, or dens, for shelter and resting, and the keepers are certainly hopeful that the pair may be preparing a cosy space of their own.

While it is too early to know what the future may hold for Annie and Noor, the pair have already formed a close and entertaining partnership, spending their days eating, swimming, playing, exploring and, apparently, doing a little bit of home improvement.

Smooth-coated otters are found across parts of South and Southeast Asia and are well adapted to life in and around freshwater habitats. Their streamlined bodies, powerful tails and webbed feet make them excellent swimmers, while their whiskers help them detect movement in the water.

The species faces a number of pressures in the wild, including habitat loss and the degradation of freshwater and wetland environments. The coordinated conservation work of zoological collections, including the European Species Programme, helps to maintain healthy populations and supports wider conservation and education efforts.

For Lake District Wildlife Park, Annie and Noor are an important addition to the collection and offer visitors the opportunity to discover more about this charismatic and fascinating species.

For now, though, the pair seem perfectly happy concentrating on the important things in life – finding food, playing in the water, digging holes and enjoying their new home together.