When and Where to See Otters
in zoological parks, aquariums and conservation centers

By Jan Reed-Smith

When you are going to a zoo to see otters, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of actually "seeing" them. After all, they are generally most active in the morning or early evening, not the times when most of us visit a zoo. First, go when the zoo opens or go later in the afternoon and plan on staying until it closes. Second, if you don't see them at first, look around-especially under trees, bushes, logs, etc. Third, if you still do not see them, go and see some of the other animals and try again later. Fourth, ask an employee (or keeper if you can find one) when the animals might be active. Animals frequently have typical activity patterns, and the animal you see sleeping at 11 a.m. may often be up and swimming at noon.

If you are lucky and the animals are active, watch for these behaviors: periscoping (standing up on their hind legs to look around-they are nosy and you can't see much when you are that low to the ground); roll grooming (they roll around on their backs and squirm, a great way to dry and clean your coat); self grooming; hauling straw, grass or whatever from one place to another (bed-making otter style); latrine dance (self explanatory); and (of course!) playing, chasing and swimming. Try and stay awhile; you will increase your chances of seeing the animals active or observing something interesting, and if you don't, it's a nice way to spend an hour.

This list is not exhaustive, but here are some of the places you can go to see otters. The city where the facility is located is listed only if it is not self-evident in the name. In all uses, "N.A." is an abbreviation for "North American" (river) otters.

Canada

Otter at Metro-Toronto Zoo in Ontario, Photo by Kurt Butkiewicz

African Lion Safari, Rockton, Ontario - N.A. otters
Assiniboine Park Zoo, Winnipeg, Manitoba - N.A. otters
Biodome, Montreal, Quebec - N.A. otters
Calgary Zoo, Alberta, Canada - N.A. otters
Granby Park Zoo, Quebec - Cape clawless otters
Jardin Zoologique De St. Felicien, St. Felicien, Quebec - N.A. otters
Quebec Zoo, Quebec - N.A. otters
Salmonier Nature Park, St. Johns, Newfoundland - N.A. otters
Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Scarborough, Ontario - N.A. otters & Spotted-necked otters
Valley Children's Zoo, Edmonton, Alberta - N.A. otters

Alabama

Birmingham Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters

Arizona

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson - N.A. otters
Phoenix Zoo - Cape clawless otters
Reid Park Zoo, Tucson - Asian small-clawed otters

Arkansas

Little Rock Zoo - N.A. otters

California

Asian Small-Clawed Otters at Santa Barbara Zoo, California, Photo by Chris Wittenbrink

Monterey Bay Aquarium - sea otters
Oakland Zoo, Knowland Park in Oakland - N.A. otters
Sacramento Zoo - N.A. otters
San Diego Zoo - N.A. otters, European otters & Asian small-clawed otters
San Francisco Zoo - N.A. otters
Santa Barbara Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters

Colorado

Colorado Springs Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters
Colorado Ocean Journey, Denver - N.A. otters & sea otters
Denver Zoo - N.A. otters Connecticut
Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport - N.A. otters

Delaware

Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington - N.A. otters

Florida

Brevard Zoo, Melbourne - N.A. otters
Clearwater Marine Aquarium - N.A. otters
Disney Wild Animal Park, Orlando - Asian small-clawed otters
Flamingo Gardens, Ft. Lauderdale - N.A. otters
Homosassa Springs State Park, Homosassa Springs - N.A. otters
Jacksonville Zoo - N.A. otters
Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa - N.A. otters
Miami Metro Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters
Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science - N.A. otters
The Florida Aquarium, Tampa - N.A. otters
The Zoo, Gulf Breeze - N.A. otters
Zooworld, Panama City Beach - N.A. otters

Georgia

Zoo Atlanta - Asian small-clawed otters

Idaho

Boise Zoo - N.A. otters
Tautphaus Park Zoo, Idaho Falls - N.A. otters

Illinois

Brookfield Zoo, Chicago - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters
Glen Oak Zoo, Peoria - N.A. otters
Henson Robinson Zoo, Springfield - N.A. otters
Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters
Miller Park Zoo, Bloominton - N.A. otters
Niabi Zoological Park, Moline - N.A. otters
Shedd Aquarium, Chicago - N.A. otters, sea otters
Wildlife Prairie Park, Peoria - N.A. otters

Indiana

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo - N.A. otters

Iowa

Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines - N.A. otters

Kansas

Hutchinson Zoo - N.A. otters
Lee Richardson Zoo, Garden City - N.A. otters
Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita - N.A. otters
Sunset Zoo, Manhattan - N.A. otters
Topeka Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters

Kentucky

Louisville Zoo - N.A. otters Louisiana
Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans - sea otters
Audubon Zoo, New Orleans - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters
Alexandria Zoo - N.A. otters
Greater Baton Rouge Zoo - N.A. otters
Zoo of Acadiana, Broussard - N.A. otters

Maryland

Baltimore Zoo - N.A. otters
Salisbury Zoo - N.A. otters

Massachusetts

Capron Park, Attleboro - N.A. otters
Franklin Park Zoo, Boston - N.A. otters
Worchester Science Center - N.A. otters

Michigan

Otter at John Ball Zoo, Photo by Jan Reed-Smith

Clinch Park Zoo, Traverse City - N.A. otters
Detroit Zoo - N.A. otters
John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids - N.A. otters
Potter Park Zoo, Lansing - N.A. otters

Minnesota

Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth - N.A. otters
Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley (Minneapolis) - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters

Missouri

Dickerson Park Zoo, Springfield - N.A. otters
Kansas City Zoo - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters
St. Louis Zoo - N.A. otters

Montana

Zoo Montana, Billings - N.A. otters

Nebraska

Folsom Children's Zoo, Lincoln - N.A. otters
Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters
Riverside Park Zoo, Scottsbluff - N.A. otters

North Carolina

The North Carolina Zoological Park, Asheboro - N.A. otters & spotted-necked otters

North Dakota

Dakota Zoo, Bismarck - N.A. otters

New Jersey

Cape May Zoo - N.A. otters New Mexico
Alameda Park Zoo, Alamogordo - N.A. otters

New York

Otter at Niagara Falls Aquarium, Photo by Kurt Butkiewicz

Bronx Zoo, N.Y. - N.A. otters & Asian small-clawed otters
Burnet Park Zoo, Syracuse - N.A. otters
Central Park Zoo, N.Y. - N.A. otters
Niagara Falls Aquarium, Niagara Falls - N.A. otters
Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester - N.A. otters
Staten Island Zoo, N.Y. - N.A. otters
Trevor Zoo, Millbrook - N.A. otters
Turtleback Zoo, West Orange - N.A. otters

Ohio

Akron Zoo - N.A. otters
Cincinnati Zoo - N.A. otters
Cleveland Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters
Columbus Zoo - N.A. otters
Toledo Zoo - Cape Clawless otters

Oklahoma

Tulsa - N.A. otters Oregon
High Desert Museum, Bend - N.A. otters
Oregon Zoo, Portland - N.A. otters

Pennsylvania

Giant Otter at Philadelphia Zoo, Photo by Tracy Johnston

Elmwood Park Zoo, Norristown - N.A. otters
Erie Zoo - N.A. otters
Philadelphia Zoo - N.A. otters


Pittsburgh Zoo - N.A. otters
Trexler Lehigh County Game Preserve, Schnecksville - N.A. otters
ZOOAMERICA, Hershey - N.A. otters

South Carolina

Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet - N.A. otters

Tennessee

Knoxville Zoo - N.A. otters
Nashville Zoo (Grassmere Wildlife Park) - N.A. otters
Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga - N.A. otters

Texas

Caldwell Zoo - N.A. otters
Ellen Trout Zoo, Lufkin - N.A. otters
The Texas Zoo, Victoria - N.A. otters
The Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi - N.A. otters

Virginia

Virginia Living Museum, Newport News - N.A. otters

Washington State

Northwest Trek, Eatonville - N.A. otters
Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle - N.A. otters
Seattle Aquarium - sea otters

Washington, D.C.

National Zoo - Asian small-clawed otters

West Virginia

Oglebay's Good Children's Zoo, Wheeling - N.A. otters

Wisconsin

Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Green Bay - N.A. otters
Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison - N.A. otters
Milwaukee Zoo - N.A. otters
NEW Zoo, Greenbay - N.A. otters
Racine Zoo - N.A. otters