New Forest Wildlife Park is home to the world's largest giant otter collection, following summer births

New Forest Wildlife Park is playing a significant role in giant otter conservation, as it now cares for the largest collection of these critically endangered South American mammals on the planet.

This update follows the birth of three healthy cubs on 2nd August to parents Ibera and Simuni, one female and two males, who received their health check clearance on 1st October. These latest arrivals bring the park's giant otter population to over half of the UK's entire captive population of 21, and mark another milestone in the fight to save a species teetering on the brink in the wild.

Giant otters are native to the Amazon basin and face increasing threats from habitat destruction, illegal hunting, overharvesting of fish and pollution. With wild populations declining, successful breeding programmes like the one at New Forest Wildlife Park represent a crucial lifeline for the species' survival and genetic diversity. 

As Simuni’s mother and sister also reside at the wildlife park, the park's breeding programme has now produced multiple generations, demonstrating the type of long-term success that conservationists aim for when working with endangered species. At the age of 15, Simuni is the oldest giant otter in Europe to become a dad again.

Among the three new arrivals, keepers have been particularly charmed by one of the male cubs, who has already earned the nickname "mini Simuni." The youngster has a distinctive large throat patch remarkably similar to his father's, which is a unique identifying feature and strong family resemblance.

"It's fascinating to watch Simuni bring out this little one who looks just like him," says keeper Elizabeth McNamara. "The throat patches on giant otters are like fingerprints where they are completely unique to each individual, so seeing such a strong resemblance between father and son is quite special."

Visitors to the park can see the extraordinary sight of a giant otter family in action. The three cubs are being taught how to swim and how to play by their older siblings: Karanambu (born January 2023), brother Guapo (December 2023), and sister Ari Rana (summer 2024).

The cubs are most active and visible during the day, particularly after feeding times, when the adult otters bring them out to explore and play.

As confirmed by the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), the international database that tracks zoo animal populations worldwide, New Forest Wildlife Park officially holds the largest collection of giant otters in the world, which is a proud achievement for the family-owned park.

This highlights the Hampshire wildlife park as not only a visitor attraction but also an important home for one of South America's most charismatic and threatened species, playing a vital role in global conservation efforts to ensure giant otters have a future.

"To hold the world's largest collection of giant otters is both an honour and a responsibility that we take seriously. They are disappearing from their native Amazon habitat at an alarming rate, and what we're achieving here in the New Forest all aids the species' future. Watching the new cubs learning to swim alongside their siblings isn’t just a nice thing to see; it's a testament to what dedicated conservation can achieve. Visitors are witnessing something quite unique when they see the large giant otter family. It's conservation in action, and it's happening right here in Hampshire,” said Jason Palmer, Curator of Collections at New Forest Wildlife Park.

With thanks to our wonderful visitors Clare Lodwidge, Graeme Pickett, Paul Knight and Terri May Cook for sharing their photographs.