A giant otter has arrived at Chester Zoo from Bioparc Zoo de Doue-la-Fontaine in France to help Chester’s endangered species breeding programme.
Three-year-old Diego Junior made the move after being chosen as the perfect genetic match for the zoo’s resident female, Icana.
Giant otters are endangered. In fact, it is estimated there are only 5,000 of them living in their native South America, but conservationists fear the number could be much lower. Giant otters are already extinct in Uruguay and Argentina.
Habitat destruction, water pollution and illegal poaching across South America are some of the reasons why the numbers are so low – and zookeepers say the breeding programme is crucial to the future of the species.
Keepers at Chester Zoo hope Diego Junior will mate successfully with Icana.
