Trailside Museum welcomes Ginger the river otter
By Canton Citizen
Ginger the otter feels at home in his new surroundings. (Photo courtesy of Blue Hills Trailside Museum)
Blue Hills Trailside Museum is thrilled to announce that another North American river otter has joined its wildlife team at the popular nature destination on the Canton/Milton line.
“Ginger,” who was born in February 2022 at Stone Zoo in Stoneham, is settling right in at the Trailside Museum, which is operated by Mass Audubon in partnership with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
The young animal joins another female, longtime resident “Otter,” who turned 18 on March 1 and remains happy and healthy. Otter imprinted on humans as a baby and has never been inclined to cohabitate with others of her species, so she and Ginger will take turns out on exhibit.
Otter has been one of Trailside’s most popular wildlife ambassadors for nearly two decades, and the addition of Ginger will bring a new energy and perspective to visitors’ understanding of these sleek and engaging animals.
While river otters share the same dark brown appearance and thus can be difficult to tell apart, their typically playful behaviors can vary and help with identification. For example, Otter loves to swim up from the pool and flip off a wall at one end, while Ginger can be observed twirling below the surface and frolicking in the waterfall.
Worldwide, there are 13 species of otters — the largest members of the weasel family — and North America is home to two: river otters and sea otters.
“Ginger is a lively young otter who already has become a great addition to our community of exhibit animals that both engage and inspire visitors of all ages,” said Lauren Gordon, regional director of Mass Audubon’s Metro South Wildlife Sanctuaries, which includes Trailside.
“We encourage everyone, including young nature lovers, to discover for themselves just how delightful these creatures can be,” Gordon added. “Otters offer hard-to-resist invitations for people to forge their own connections with the natural world.”
To learn more about Ginger, river otters, and the Blue Hills Trailside Museum, please visit massaudubon.org/bluehills.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=123071
Posted by Canton Citizen
on Mar 22 2024. Filed under Features.
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