(July 28, 2016) Following a major revamp and renovation of its facilities, along with a reshuffling of how visitors experience the Delmarva Discovery Center, two new additions — river otters named Mac and Tuck — moved into their new home last Friday.
It’s the culmination of months of effort and construction to bring these living exhibits to the center, but it’s not the first foray into live entertainment — the center is already home to turtles among other native fauna.
Officially the Wally Gordon River Otter Exhibit, and open to the public since Monday, the new feature is enormous, encompassing two exhibit rooms along with behind-the-scenes machinery and facilities that makes it all work.
The two otters, labeled as “nuisance” creatures in their native Louisiana where they had previously taken up residence next to a crayfish farm, were trapped by a U.S. Department of Agriculture sanctioned worker and delivered here, according to center CEO Stacey Weisner.
Mac, short for McKendree, and Tuck, short for Tucker, are used to living in single-gender environments, Weisner said, which is good, because the center has no plans for little baby otters, as they are not part of its mission.
The otters are named for members of the Gordon family. McKendree was Wally Gordon’s middle name, and Tucker was his mother’s maiden name, his widow Jackie Gordon explained.
Wally Gordon was a founder of the center and was among the first board members.
“Stacey came to me and the idea just clicked. We lived on the river and my husband loved watching otters. I think it is a very appropriate way to remember him,” Jackie Gordon said.
Wally Gordon died in 2004. Their daughter, Kate, was also involved in bringing the otters to the center.
“We started out looking at other exhibits: the Maryland State Zoo, the Calvert Marine Museum and the Virginia Beach Aquarium. We did a phenomenal amount of research,” Weisner said. “The Salisbury Zoo has also been a wonderful partner.”
“We needed to figure out what a good otter exhibit looked like, and what not to do,” Kate Gordon said.
In the end, the 6,000-gallon tank that was previously devoted to Pocomoke River fish has become otter habitat, a viewing area with benches has been added, along with two methods for the otters to move into a different exhibit area.
First, otters can do what they normally do — swim from one area to the next, but if they’re feeling playful, a slide also connects the more open, 30-foot long, viewing space in the next room.
A huge glass enclosure along with a much shallower swimming pool along with some land areas so Mac and Tuck can stretch their otter legs has been installed, along with more seating for observers.
For privacy or to escape prying eyes, there is a back kenneling area where the animals can escape observation.
As for care, Weisner said two veterinarians are on call and trained in otter anatomy. The USDA inspects habitats meant to cage the creature, but Weisner said those inspections don’t occur until the habitat is complete and the animal is on site. She said she expects to schedule the inspection next week.
This habitat is also where enrichment activities will take place. Weisner said the animals are smart enough to be trained to complete simple tasks, and can learn, by means of color association, where to go or what to do.
“They can learn to chase a ball, so if we want them to move to a different area, we can just have them chase a ball in there,” she said. “We don’t want them to get bored. We’re going to feed them several times a day, and plan a lot of different activities. Sleepover parties, and we can make all kinds of little toys for them to play with.”
The Wally Gordon River Otter Exhibit is now open seven days a week, Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
It’s the culmination of months of effort and construction to bring these living exhibits to the center, but it’s not the first foray into live entertainment — the center is already home to turtles among other native fauna.
Officially the Wally Gordon River Otter Exhibit, and open to the public since Monday, the new feature is enormous, encompassing two exhibit rooms along with behind-the-scenes machinery and facilities that makes it all work.
The two otters, labeled as “nuisance” creatures in their native Louisiana where they had previously taken up residence next to a crayfish farm, were trapped by a U.S. Department of Agriculture sanctioned worker and delivered here, according to center CEO Stacey Weisner.
Mac, short for McKendree, and Tuck, short for Tucker, are used to living in single-gender environments, Weisner said, which is good, because the center has no plans for little baby otters, as they are not part of its mission.
The otters are named for members of the Gordon family. McKendree was Wally Gordon’s middle name, and Tucker was his mother’s maiden name, his widow Jackie Gordon explained.
Wally Gordon was a founder of the center and was among the first board members.
“Stacey came to me and the idea just clicked. We lived on the river and my husband loved watching otters. I think it is a very appropriate way to remember him,” Jackie Gordon said.
Wally Gordon died in 2004. Their daughter, Kate, was also involved in bringing the otters to the center.
“We started out looking at other exhibits: the Maryland State Zoo, the Calvert Marine Museum and the Virginia Beach Aquarium. We did a phenomenal amount of research,” Weisner said. “The Salisbury Zoo has also been a wonderful partner.”
“We needed to figure out what a good otter exhibit looked like, and what not to do,” Kate Gordon said.
In the end, the 6,000-gallon tank that was previously devoted to Pocomoke River fish has become otter habitat, a viewing area with benches has been added, along with two methods for the otters to move into a different exhibit area.
First, otters can do what they normally do — swim from one area to the next, but if they’re feeling playful, a slide also connects the more open, 30-foot long, viewing space in the next room.
A huge glass enclosure along with a much shallower swimming pool along with some land areas so Mac and Tuck can stretch their otter legs has been installed, along with more seating for observers.
For privacy or to escape prying eyes, there is a back kenneling area where the animals can escape observation.
As for care, Weisner said two veterinarians are on call and trained in otter anatomy. The USDA inspects habitats meant to cage the creature, but Weisner said those inspections don’t occur until the habitat is complete and the animal is on site. She said she expects to schedule the inspection next week.
This habitat is also where enrichment activities will take place. Weisner said the animals are smart enough to be trained to complete simple tasks, and can learn, by means of color association, where to go or what to do.
“They can learn to chase a ball, so if we want them to move to a different area, we can just have them chase a ball in there,” she said. “We don’t want them to get bored. We’re going to feed them several times a day, and plan a lot of different activities. Sleepover parties, and we can make all kinds of little toys for them to play with.”
The Wally Gordon River Otter Exhibit is now open seven days a week, Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.