Some of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s littlest residents are taking the plunge this week. Asian small-clawed otter pups Ripple, Splash, Puddles and Scuttle will be viewable starting this Wednesday.
The pups were born on May 9 this year and have since been growing up and bonding with their parents behind the scenes. Now that they have completed their swimming lessons, Ripple, Splash, Puddles and Scuttle can be seen by zoogoers — when they’re not napping — in their public Elephant Trek habitat.
“Mom, Munti, and dad, Flounder, have done a great job teaching the pups to swim in pools in their indoor space, so they’re ready to go outside,” Victoria Morelli, Cincinnati Zoo’s zoological manager of primates, said in a press release. “They do still nap a lot, so visitors may or may not see them at certain times of day.”
Morelli says visitors can expect “unbearable cuteness, sibling squabbles and ‘otter chaos!'” from the pups.
“The care team has been working ‘round the clock to ensure that these little ones are healthy, happy and ready for their next adventure,” said Morelli. “It’s National Zookeeper Week, so please give a thank you or high five to the otter keepers if you see them.”
Zoo members can see the pups starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, with the zoo opening to the public at 10 a.m. To help you find the otters, you can download the zoo’s new mobile app, which includes a GPS-enabled digital map. The otters will still have access to their nest boxes inside, so visitors may have to try more than once to see them, says the zoo.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. More info: cincinnatizoo.org.
This article appears in Jul 9-22, 2025.
