A North American river otter and a baby lemur have joined the growing family of animals at the Cape May County Zoo.
The female otter, named Ariel, arrived last month from the Kansas City Zoo. The zoo staff has been slowly introducing Ariel to the resident male otter, Mork.
“We are happy to report that Ariel and Mork have formed a friendship and can be seen together every day in our North American river otter habitat,” said Dr. Alex Ernst, the zoo’s associate veterinarian.
Ariel is a 14-year-old river otter sent to the Cape May County Zoo as a companion for Mork.
North American river otters are a semi-aquatic member of the mustelid family and can be found in rivers, lakes, swamps and coastal plains across North America, including Cape May County, the zoo said in a news release.
Also in March, the zoo’s female ring-tailed lemur, named Falana, gave birth to an infant.
“As is typically the case, mom is taking very good care of her new baby and is holding it very tight. Through observations, we can see that the baby is strong and is nursing well but don’t yet know the gender,” Ernst said.
This was Falana’s’ second baby with her mate, Darwin. They had a male offspring last year. The young and growing family can be seen daily in the ring-tailed lemur habitat.
“I encourage our residents and visitors to take a trip to the Cape May County Zoo often during the next few months. We never know what new births and attractions will greet us,” said County Commissioner Andrew Bulakowski, liaison to the Parks and Zoo.
The County Parks and Zoo come alive after a long winter and offer an array of opportunities for families to explore and learn about the animals, hike, bike and spend time in the outdoors, Bulakowski added.
The Cape May County Parks and Zoo are open daily. Admission is free to the public. Zoo hours are 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and the parks are open from 7 a.m. until dusk.
Go to www.cmczoo.com for more information and a list of special events.
