Playful river otters just love to roll around in ice bucket at Oregon Zoo
PORTLAND, Ore. - An adorable trio got a chilly surprise from zookeepers at the Oregon Zoo.
Tilly, Flora and Hobson are all American river otters – and they love their ice. In video shared by the Portland-based zoo, the group were seen rolling around in a bucket of ice.
All three were rescued over the years and are unable to survive on their own in the wild. They are not related, but were found abandoned in separate rivers.
"Flora was found at a construction site near Gold Beach, and Hobson was found near a golf course in McMinnville," Oregon Zoo spokesperson Kelsey Wallace told Storyful. "Tilly was orphaned near Johnson Creek in 2009. All three otters are also named for local waterways – Floras Lake, Hobson Creek, and the Tillamook River."
"Different materials – like ice! – encourage river otters to stay active and perform natural behaviors," she added.
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Now, they all live together, creating their own furry family.
According to Audubon, river otters can be found throughout North America and are known to be active, entertaining, and social within their family groups. Officials at the Oregon Zoo say fur trapping back in the 19th century lowers their population, "but they have returned to the healthy waterways and lakes of the Pacific Northwest."
You can learn more about Tilly, Flora, and Hobson on the zoo’s website.