On the 28^th March keepers heard noises coming from a small den made underground within the otter’s enclosure, a sure sign that Chea, our breeding female had once again given birth! Now the young cub has grown bigger it has been confirmed that the she is female and she has been given the name 'Touch' by her keepers which means small in Cambodian! 

When our young cub first arrived she was being cared for day and night underground by mum. But as the little one continues to grow healthy and strong she now spends her days outside with mum, dad and the rest of the group and has already become a strong swimmer!

The cub’s parents, male, Kong Kea, and female, Chea, joined the collection in October 2010 from the Rare Species Conservation Centre (RSCC) in Kent. Kong Kea (which means “Big Water” in Cambodian) was born in May 2006 at a Rescue centre in Cambodia and Chea (which means “to be well and healthy” in Cambodian) was also born in 2006. She was rescued from wildlife traders also in Cambodia.

This pair has been extremely successful at breeding over the years with a number of litters being born since their arrival. You can see our latest addition getting up to mischief and playing around with the group at Otter Creek.

Smooth-coated otters are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. One of the major threats to the survival of the smooth-coated otter is the loss of suitable habitat. The breeding success at Colchester Zoo helps to ensure a healthy captive population aiding the continued existence of this species.

Find out how you could adopt one of our Smooth Coated Otters here.

NB Image is of previous cub in 2014