NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk has two new additions and they are “otterly” adorable.
According to Zoo officials, Asian small-clawed otters named Puba and Alana arrived at the facility in February as social companions. The duo will be part of the Zoo’s “Species Survival Plan.”
The Species Survival Plan oversees and manages species’ population in zoos by pairing them for companionship or breeding. Officials say the goal of the plan is to “maximize genetic diversity and long-term sustainability of the population.”
Alana, the female otter, was born in 2018 at the Columbus Zoo and the male otter, Puba, was born in 2007 at Zoo Miami. The pair made their debut at their “Asia-Trail of the Tiger” exhibit in late February.
The two completed a routine quarantine period and wellness exams before being introduced to each other. Soon they will be introduced to their exhibit mates, white-cheeked gibbons Dexter and Asia.
So how will you tell them apart the next time you visit the Virginia Zoo? Zookeepers say to look at the color of their necks. Alana has a white neck while Puba’s neck is tan.
