Otter News

One of the perks of volunteering at the zoo is the chance to go “backstage” with the animals. Ernest quivered with excitement when he announced that he would get to feed the otters! The big event happened yesterday. In Ernest’s own words:

First we went to the animal kitchen and we cut off the fish heads.
[He starts singing:]
Fish heads, Fish heads
Rolly polly Fish heads
Fish heads, Fish heads
Eat them up, Yummm
And then we cut the fishes in half. We took the fishes to the otter exhibit and we took turns throwing the fish to the otters, Merry and Pippin. Merry should be considered legally blind because we threw a fish right in front of him and he looked and looked and couldn’t find it. Pippin is larger and has a bigger white spot on his chin. Merry is smaller and has a smaller white spot. They are both males.
[I asked him what the animal kitchen looked like.]
The animal kitchen looks like a regular kitchen but it has raw fish in it.
[How often do the otters eat?]
cat food when they wake up
5 fish during morning feeding
5 fish during afternoon feeding
cat food at night
[How big were the fish?]
They were really small fish.
[He moves his fingers around to show me. I estimate 5”.]
That’s without the head.