New pair of otters in Zurich Wilderness Park

Otters are among the public's favorites at the Zurich Wilderness Park. This week, the chance of spotting one of the charming "water martens" has doubled. A second pair has moved into the otter enclosure in Sihlwald. The animals are both just one year old and come from zoos in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"They have already become well accustomed to each other and feel very comfortable in the enclosure," explains Martin Kilchenmann, Head of Animals at the Zurich Wilderness Park. The second pair of otters, who have been living in the enclosure on the Sihl for some time, now live in the neighboring former beaver enclosure. "These two are a little older and can enjoy their retirement with us," says Kilchenmann.

The otter is an endangered species in Europe, which is why the European conservation breeding program for "Lutra lutra" was launched by the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) in 1985. The Zurich Langenberg Wilderness Park has also been involved in this program since 2005.

The otter was considered extinct in Switzerland in 1989. Animals have been spotted again sporadically since 2009: on the Aare, the Hinterrhein, the Ticino, the Rhone and the Inn. The Pro Lutra Foundation is working to ensure that the species can re-establish itself in Swiss waters. Martin Kilchenmann is a member of the foundation board.

Originally, otters populated the banks of all Swiss waters up to 1,600 meters above sea level. The species was heavily hunted, and it is also assumed that pollution of the waters by the environmental toxin PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) and other changes to their habitat were partly responsible for the extinction of the otter in Switzerland.