Four giant river otter pups to make public debut at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Jacksonville, FL — It's an exciting weekend for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens!

The zoo says four endangered giant river otter pups will be making their public debut on Saturday. The three girls and one boy are the first of their species to be born at the zoo.

The pups were born to 7-year-old mother Sarave, who came to the Jacksonville Zoo in 2018 from Zoo Miami, and 11-year-old father Buddy, who arrived in 2011 from Guyana. The zoo says Buddy is blind, but is considered to be the most genetically-valuable giant river otter in the Species Survival Plan.

"Breeding Buddy and Sarave has been a complex process and I am so proud of the animal care team and all of their hard work. We are even more proud of the bond Buddy has formed with his pups and how he is caring for his family, even though he is unable to see them," says Deputy Director Dan Maloney in a statement.

The zoo says guests will be able to see the pups in the Range of the Jaguar.