Meet the 'otterly' adorable new additions at Slimbridge Wetland Centre
Two Asian small-clawed otters are settling in to their new home at the Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire.
Sam and Tilly arrived from the New Forest Wildlife Park on Thursday 27 July and were first released into their enclosure two days later.
Tilly is eight years old and Sam is seven. The pair are living in a new holt, complete with living roof.
The centre says they are both "settling in really well and are taking everything in their stride."
Describing Sam and Tilly, the team at the centre said: "They love the pool and you can spot them underwater from air bubbles escaping from their waterproof coats.
"They have been busy nest building – they have already started collecting natural material from their outdoor area – including buddleia - making their nest look very pretty.
"You can tell them apart from their whiskers – Tilly’s are much longer than Sam’s. She is also darker and slightly larger and is definitely the more dominant and confident of the pair."
Otter talks will be reintroduced at the centre soon, for now the team are focusing on feeding them in their indoor house so they can monitor their intake, behaviour and generally get to know them.
About the Asian small-clawed otter
The Asian small-clawed otter is the tiniest otter species from Asia. They have dark brown fur on top and lighter fur below with markings on their face and throat.
Otters are social and smart, they talk to each other using more than 12 different sounds and smells.
When they search for food, they use their paws to catch crabs, fish, and more.
In their new home at Slimbridge, they'll be fed meat and fish multiple times a day by the team.
In the wild, you can find these otters in different places in Asia, like southern India, southern China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They like spending time in rivers, marshes, rice paddies, and mangroves.
These family-oriented otters are great parents and have two litters of pups each year.
Sadly, they're facing challenges and are considered vulnerable. Their homes are getting lost due to human activities and pollution, so they need protecting.