She now only has three legs, but Meadow the river otter at Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough is still going strong.
The zoo issued a media release on Wednesday (March 12) announcing that Meadow recently lost one of her legs and providing an update on her status.
Meadow came to the zoo at the end of last year, joining the zoo’s group of three male otters. Although the zoo implemented a “comprehensive introduction plan” between the otters, “with a month-long observation period showing promising results,” there was an altercation between the otters.
As a result of the altercation, Meadow suffered a severe leg injury. After consulting with the zoo’s veterinarian and the orthopedic surgeon, the zoo decided the best course of action was to amputate the injured limb.
“Although this is an unfortunate situation, there is always a risk when introducing animals together, even when every precaution was taken by the animal care team.,” says the zoo’s manager and curator Cathy Mitchell in the release.
Calling Meadow “a resilient young otter,” the zoo says she has been healing and recovering from the amputation, and has been cleared by the animal health team to be back on exhibit and have outdoor access.
The zoo says Meadow was moved into her own exhibit with ample outdoor space on Tuesday. The space is located in the west outdoor primate exhibit.
“She has so much energy and we are looking forward to seeing her enjoy her new environment,” the release states.
The zoo is also thanking its animal adopters and donors for their support.
“Emergency veterinary care and medications are just some of the unexpected costs that come with caring for animals,” the zoo states.
“We rely on community support for a portion of our animal care operating fund. Community contributions play a vital role in sustaining our animal care operations and help us provide necessary care for animals like Meadow when they are sick or injured.
Visitors can meet Meadow and the other river otters, with the otter feed scheduled to run daily at 1:30 p.m.
