Santa Barbara Zoo welcomes litter of otter pups
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The baby boom continues at the Santa Barbara Zoo!
Gail, the zoo's female Asian small-clawed otter gave birth to four healthy pups last Friday.
The animal care team did the first health check on the pups Wednesday and hopes to confirm their gender next week.
This is the latest litter for Gail and her breeding partner, Peeta. The zoo remains home to Berbudi, one of their pups from a previous litter.
The parents and older brother will work together as a family to raise the pups, according to zoo officials.
The Santa Barbara Zoo has announced the arrival of four otter pups 
The pups will remain off exhibit for a few months while they grow
The whole family will remain off exhibit for 1 to 2 months while the pups mature and learn how to swim.
The otters at the Santa Barbara Zoo are part of the Species Survival Plan, meaning they play a critical role in maintaining genetic diversity and are important in protecting the species from extinction.
Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest of all 13 otter species, the zoo said. The species is considered "vulnerable" due to habitat loss and poaching.
Anyone interested in supporting the otter pups can become a foster feeder sponsor. Information on that program can be found here.
It's been a busy couple of years for births at the Santa Barbara Zoo. In August, Marta, the amur leopard was born to parents Ajax and Kasha. In 2020, the zoo welcomed Pauline, the African lion cub and Twiga, the Masai giraffe.
Twiga is now set to be a big brother. In August, the zoo announced two female giraffes are expected to give birth early next year.
