CLEARWATER, Fla. — A young male otter is adjusting to his new habitat Wednesday at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Nicknamed Opie, the North American river otter spent weeks getting acquainted with his new roommates Walle and Boomer who have both been living in the aquarium’s Otter Oasis habitat for more than five years, CMA said in a news release.
Before his arrival, Opie spent time at the Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary of Homosassa after he injured his right eye during a dog attack. With a more regular feeding schedule and more contact with humans, he was ready to transfer to CMA for further evaluation. The aquarium was left to assess his next steps and whether he would be released back into the wild.
It determined Opie was non-releasable, though he would be the only North American river otter at the aquarium which would provide more educational opportunities.
His name pays tribute to the late Mary Opall, the director of Nature World Wildlife Sanctuary who was known for her lifelong work dedicated to wildlife conservation. She passed away a day before her birthday on March 6 after battling stage 4 cancer, according to a Citrus County Chronicle article.
