Otter

We are very sad to report that Tommy our beloved otter has passed away. Although we didn’t know exactly how old Tommy was, the vets have estimated that he was around 18-20 years old. Asian short clawed otters commonly live to about 12 years old in the wild. Due to many apparent health issues, Tommy received a thorough veterinary assessment which revealed the seriousness of many of these health problems. It was decided to put Tommy to sleep to make sure that he would not suffer.

Tommy touched the hearts of many including members of the public, our keepers, students and volunteers. He was such a special animal and brought the best out in so many people. His warmth, gentleness and kind nature reflected back to those he encountered and left a Tommy footprint on all our hearts. Tommy was so dearly loved, not only because he was so adorably cute, but due to his amazingly gentle nature.
Thank you Tommy for being so special. You will be deeply missed by all of us.

Tommy was a very special gentle natured otter, he had been at the Franklin Zoo for almost 20 years. He is an Asian small-clawed otter, which usually live in a wide range of habitats where there is permanent water and some tree cover, such as freshwater wetlands, mangrove swamps and paddy fields. He loves to rough and tumble and is a great swimmer. Tommy’s friend included a club footed blackbird who shares his breakfast every morning and a male peacock who joins him in the evenings. Keepers kept him busy with activities and visits through the day.

Click here to see a dedication to Tommy.