Minnesota Zoo Welcomes Adorable New River Otter
A playful new resident has made the Minnesota Zoo her home – a 10-month-old river otter named Cedar. Arriving at the zoo earlier this week, she’s already exploring her new surroundings with the joyful energy characteristic of her species.
Minnesota’s Biggest Aquatic Carnivore
“>River otters hold the title of Minnesota’s largest aquatic carnivores and are famed for their prowess in catching fish, according to the Minnesota DNR.
More Playful Than Competitive
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“They’re so good at finding food that they don’t need to spend as much time competing with each other, which means they have more time for playing.
Cedar will soon meet the zoo’s other river otter.
For now, Cedar will have the run of her habitat, which includes both public and behind-the-scenes areas. This allows her to familiarize herself with her new surroundings at her own pace,”],” said Jonas, attr ibuton.
The zoo’s newest resident is an exciting addition, bringing increased awareness to these playful animals and the challenges facing them,” said Jonas
What is Cedar the river otter’s personality like?
## Q&A with Minnesota Zoo Aquatic Mammal Expert
**Interviewer:** Welcome to the show! Today we’re celebrating the arrival of a new furry friend at the Minnesota Zoo – a 10-month-old North American river otter named Cedar. Joining me to talk more about this exciting addition is [Guest Name], an aquatic mammal expert here at the zoo.
**Guest:** Thanks for having me. It’s always exciting to welcome new animals to the zoo, especially one as playful and charismatic as Cedar.
**Interviewer:** For those who may not be familiar with river otters, can you tell us a little about them?
**Guest:** Certainly. North American River Otters, scientifically known as *Lontra canadensis* [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_river_otter)], are actually the largest aquatic carnivores we have here in Minnesota. They’re incredibly skilled swimmers and fishers, and are known for their playful nature.
**Interviewer:** The article mentions Cedar is already quite the explorer. Can you tell us what she’s been up to since arriving?
**Guest:** Cedar’s been a delight to watch! She’s been very curious about her new surroundings, playfully investigating every nook and cranny of her habitat. We’re giving her time to adjust and settle in, but she’s already shown us a lot of the classic otter traits – endless energy, a love for water, and a penchant for bringing us little ‘gifts’ of sticks and leaves. [laughter]
**Interviewer:** The article also noted they’re known for being playful rather than competitive. Is that something you foresee with Cedar and the other otters at the zoo?
**Guest:** That’s definitely a common observation about river otters! They’re highly social animals and love to play together. We hope to introduce Cedar to our other otters in the future, but for now,
we want to let her acclimate to her space and get used to her new keepers.
**Interviewer:** Well I’m sure our viewers are eager to come and see Cedar for themselves. What’s the best way they can do that?
**Guest:** Cedar will be on exhibit in our North American Shores area. We encourage everyone to come visit and learn more about these incredible creatures.
**Interviewer:** Thank you so much for joining us and giving us a peek into Cedar’s world, and we wish her all the best in her new home.