Last week, amidst a winter storm, two North American river otters named Louie and Ophelia made a daring escape from their enclosure at the Wisconsin-based NEW Zoo & Adventure Park. Their escapade was captured on security cameras, showing the mischievous duo frolicking in the snow.
According to zoo officials, Louie and Ophelia managed to free themselves by enlarging a small hole in their buried fence, a fact discovered by attentive zookeepers during their routine morning checks. The zoo’s team has noted that the adventurous otters haven’t ventured far from their home. Their tracks have been spotted around the nearby bodies of water, with the occasional return to the zoo’s boundaries.
In video footage released by the zoo, one of the otters is seen playfully leaving a building and swiftly transitioning into a belly slide across the snow. This fluid movement, often characterized by the otters snapping their forepaws to their side and pushing along with their hind legs, was humorously described by the zoo as a “bounce, bounce, sliiiiide.” It’s this unique sliding motion that makes otter tracks easily recognizable.
The zookeepers are optimistic that Louie and Ophelia will remain nearby. Considering otters’ territorial nature and the fact that these otters are native to the area, the surrounding ponds and streams offer them plentiful food and shelter. To assist in their safe return, a hired tracker and motion-activated cameras have been deployed. The public has also been encouraged to share any photos or videos of the otters they might capture.
Since their getaway, there have been various reports, along with videos and photographs, of the elusive pair. One video, likely from a security camera, captures an otter elegantly sliding over snow in a forested area, its tail gracefully following the slide pattern in the snow. Search crews are eager to confirm sightings of Louie and Ophelia in the same spot multiple times, which would pinpoint an area to focus their search. The zoo has assured the public that the otters do not pose any risk and are unlikely to approach humans.