PRESS RELEASES

Toronto, ON: This past Saturday, March 28th, North American river otter, Maybelle, delivered not one…not two…but THREE otter pups! This is amazing news especially since these are the first river otters born at your Toronto Zoo in over 40 years!

“We are thrilled to announce the birth of three river otter pups, and are monitoring the pups closely as the first weeks are critical with first-time mothers” says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Your Toronto Zoo. “These new additions reflect our commitment to Canadian species in our Guardians of Wild Strategic Plan, and we look forward to sharing updates on Maybelle and her pups with our community as they grow”.

“In addition to being an iconic Canadian species, river otters, also known as N'gig in Anishnaabemowin, are very special animals to Indigenous people. They are Clan animals present in Creation stories, the Seven Grandfather Teachings where they represent Love,” adds Crystal Cowie, Supervisor of Indigenous Relations at Your Toronto Zoo.

Otters pups are NOT currently viewable.

Guests in the Americas pavilion may have noticed Maybelle’s absence over the last week. The first time Mom has been busy in her den focusing on caring for the pups until they are ready to come out, which will be approximately 4-6 weeks. River otter pups typically stay with their Mom for about 7 to 8 months. During this time, they learn essential survival skills, like hunting, fishing, and navigating their environment.

Male river otters don’t generally play a direct role in raising the pups, and the mother is primarily responsible for caring for and teaching the offspring. The pups typically start learning to swim at around 8 to 10 weeks old. Maybelle will teach them to swim and dive in the Americas habitat, gradually introducing them to the water and helping them develop their swimming skills.

River otter reproduction is complex and fascinating. After observing breeding between Maybelle and RJ in May 2025, our Reproductive Science team carefully monitored Maybelle’s progesterone (hormone) levels. Earlier this year increased progesterone levels indicated possible pregnancy, after which the Wildlife Care and Veterinary teams worked to have Maybelle participate in a voluntary radiograph, which confirmed she was expecting. With embryonic diapause (delayed implantation), embryos can remain dormant for 7–10 months before development begins - one of the many reasons why confirming this pregnancy took time.

A new home for the river otters

Your Toronto Zoo is building a new Community Conservation Centre – a state-of-the-art facility and visually stunning statement of our commitment to conservation science. This new space located at the main entrance will feature an engaging river otter habitat – bringing you even closer to these amazing Canadian species!

To learn more or to support this exciting project visit our fundraising partners at the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy, click here.

Continue to follow us for updates about how these little ones are doing in the coming weeks!

You can symbolically adopt Maybelle today and help to safeguard the future of species, like the North American river otter, for future generations. For more information or to adopt, click below: