Zoo Atlanta welcomed a new arrival this week – a 10-year-old giant female otter named Tocantins. She was transferred to Atlanta from the zoo in Jacksonville, Florida, as a companion for Zoo Atlanta’s male giant otter, 7-year-old Bakairi.
It’s part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Giant Otter Species Survival Plan, according to Zoo Atlanta.
Tocantins was named after a state and river in Brazil, where her species is found. Giant otters are only found in South American waterways, mainly in the Amazon River basin and Pantanal. They are called “river wolves” for their role at the top of the food chain.
Giant otters can reach up to 6 feet tall and weigh over 70 pounds. They are currently classified as endangered due to habitat loss, pollution and disease. In some countries, the otters are hunted for their pelts, which are dark and dense, with white or yellow patches on the throat and chin.
According to Zoo Atlanta, each otter has a unique throat-patch pattern, much like human fingerprints.
Zoo Atlanta visitors can check out Tontins and Bakairi in the giant otter habitat near the entrance of the Zoo’s Asian Forest.
