Charlie is one of our North American River Otters at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Charlie was first brought to us as an orphan, and we later discovered he is blind in one eye. It’s most likely that, because of this birth defect, Charlie was unable to keep up with his mom and siblings in the wild and was orphaned.
It’s easy to spot Charlie in his habitat. Because he’s blind, he also has difficulty grooming himself on one side. His fur becomes matted and gives the illusion that he has spots. His keepers shave off the matted fur periodically to keep his skin and coat healthy. Visitors often find Charlie lying on his back and sucking his thumb, too!
The North American River Otter is incredibly important to our ecosystem. River otters are indicator species. When pollutants enter their habitat, river otters are the first to show signs of contaminants in the water. A strong and active river otter population indicates a healthy habitat for otters, humans, and other species!
