May 24, 2016
Contact: Frank Donze
Office 504-212-5335
Cell 504-232-7461
fdonze@auduboninstitute.org
Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas to
Celebrate World Otter Day
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
(New Orleans, La.) - Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas will celebrate World Otter Day on Wednesday, May 25, by hosting feeds and chats offering visitors lessons on how they can help protect the playful aquatic mammals.
Audubon Nature Institute is home to three species of otter: Southern Sea Otters at the Aquarium, North American River Otters at the Audubon Zoo's Louisiana Swamp Exhibit and Asian Small-Clawed Otters in the Zoo's Asian Domain.
"World Otter Day is a day that celebrates all 13 species of otter, which is important because a lot of people don't realize that there are that many species,'' said Dominique Fleitas, interim assistant curator of the Zoo's Swamp Exhibit & Jaguar Jungle. "Unfortunately, for each of these species, populations in the wild are declining with most of them being near threatened or endangered. The exception is the North American River Otter, whose population is stable.''
To learn more about conservation, protection and care of otters and the ways that their natural habitat is being threatened by human activity, visit otter.org
Audubon Zoo is located at 6500 Magazine Street. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is located at 1 Canal Street. For more information, please visit audubonnatureinstitute.org
Audubon Nature Institute operates a family of museums, parks and research facilities dedicated to celebrating the wonders of nature. Through innovative live animal exhibits, education programs, and scientific discovery, Audubon makes a meaningful contribution to preserving wildlife for the future. Audubon Nature Institute flagships include Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Entergy Giant Screen Theater, Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Special Survival Center, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and Audubon Wilderness Park. Ron Forman is President and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute.