Eurasian Otter

The difficult situation of the otters in the wild in Israel brought the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Mammal Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature, and the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem to launch a new national program in nature conservation – conservation, breeding, and reintroduction to nature of the otter in the Land of Israel. The otters are also a marker for the difficult situation of aquatic habitats in Israel. This important cooperation is intended to provide a response to all the needs of a program of such a scope – research on the situation of the otters in the wild, the establishment of a conservation and breeding center at the zoo, release into the wild, monitoring of released individuals, protection of aquatic habitats which serve as natural habitats for otters, education and outreach.

The Eurasian Otter is a species that is in danger throughout its range in Europe, and therefore there is a conservation program of this species in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EEP). Our zoo was accepted to this program, and for this purpose two individuals were brought from the fish ponds in the north. Later another individual of the same species was added from the Novosibirsk Zoo, for the purpose of breeding. A large and dedicated display was established for this purpose with the help of the Friends of the Biblical Zoo Association.

We are still trying to successfully cope with the challenge of holding and breeding this species, and hope to succeed in breeding them. This breeding core will serve as a backup for the population at risk living in the wild, with the possibility of releasing young individuals into the wild in rehabilitated and safe habitats for them in the north of the country.

The Biblical Zoo sees its participation in the program as the essence of the role of the modern zoo.

‍

‍

Photo: Shai Ben Ami