Larger habitat to feature more North American River Otters
John Ball Zoo will soon be home to a larger, more sustainable habitat for otters, greeting guests upon their entrance to the Zoo.
A dynamic new habitat for a group of up to five North American River Otters will be finished next year. The Zoo broke ground on the habitat late last year, which will replace its current 43-year-old otter habitat, and feature an underwater viewing area and unique interactive elements, natural land spaces for the otters, and water features of varying depths.
“We are excited to show guests our new otter habitat in 2026, which will give our North American River Otters more space to follow their natural instincts in unique ways,” said Jaime Racalla, animal care supervisor at John Ball Zoo. “This new habitat will educate guests on the importance of clean water and the work we’re doing to save the species of wildlife that call our local waterways home.”
As part of John Ball Zoo’s continued sustainability efforts, the habitat is being built in accordance with Zero Carbon Certification standards, which will reduce and offset the Zoo’s overall carbon footprint. The Zero Carbon Certification is a national building standard aimed at bringing down carbon emissions and slowing global warming.
The new habitat at more than 3,200 square feet will be triple the size of the Zoo’s current otter habitat that is 1,300 square feet, giving the animals space to swim, play and rest. The current habitat holds up to 8,000 gallons of water, while the new one will have more than 21,000 gallons. The otters will also have more shallow water options in which to explore, play and scent mark, as well as dig pits and a covered den area.
Otters will also get enrichment when they eat with the addition of four feeding cannons that shoot out fish to mimic a natural feeding pattern where otters forage and “catch” their food underwater.
Zoo guests will also enjoy large underwater viewing areas and have opportunities to watch training sessions and interact with animal care staff, getting much closer to the otters when they are on land than the current habitat allows. In the main deep pool, curved acrylic will allow otters to swim above guests for a unique view.
The otters’ behind-the-scenes area will be upgraded, expanded and feature an outdoor area with a pool, an animal training area and flexible space to help with introductions between the otters, as well as room to provide high-quality medical care. All the features of the new habitat will meet or exceed Association of Zoos & Aquariums standards, which is the organization that provides John Ball Zoo’s accreditation.
The habitat was designed by Tessere and is being built by Pioneer Construction.
Construction of the new otter habitat is part of the Zoo’s 10-year Master Plan, which includes exciting additions to the Zoo such as the large Africa expansion for more African species, enhanced guest experiences, improved parking areas, and more, allowing the Zoo to further its conservation work, education programming and economic impact.
The new river otter habitat was made possible by a generous lead gift from the Bill and Bea Idema Foundation. The Zoo is still seeking additional donors to support this habitat and other initiatives within the 10-Year Master Plan.
