Marwell Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a new pair of Asian short-clawed otters.
The male, Rizzo from London Zoo, and the female, Thien Than from Woburn Safari Park, have settled in well at Marwell Zoo and have already shown behaviours that suggest they may have started breeding.
Carrie Arnold, animal team leader for carnivores, said: "Rizzo and Thien Than have settled in really well.
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"They are both confident, curious otters with plenty of personality and clearly getting on well with each other.
"We’ve seen behaviours that make us hopeful they may have started breeding, but at this stage we’re taking a very relaxed approach and allowing them plenty of time and space.
"We’re keeping everything crossed that there will be pups on the horizon."
The otters were paired using an international database to ensure genetic diversity as part of Marwell’s conservation breeding programme.
Asian short-clawed otters are the smallest otter species and are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Their populations are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and other environmental pressures.
Carrie added: "We’re hoping they’ll continue to thrive as a pair. If they do have pups, it will be a wonderful moment for our team and our visitors."
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