At about months old they are taught to swim by mom. In the wild, otters live about 10 years, but in captivity have been known to live 20 years. Otters are among the most playful of North American animals, but this playfulness is a part of the animal s characteristic sociology. Nevertheless, their reputation for goofing off is exactly the opposite of their next door neighbor at the zoo, the beaver. Noted for the building of dams, beavers are large rodents with broad, flat scaly tails that serve as a warning signal when slapped against the water, as a support when the beaver is standing on its hind legs and as a rudder while swimming.
Beavers are social animals and tend to live in large communities.
For many years they were highly prized for their thick fur, and heavy trapping of the animal, while a colorful part of American history, nearly eliminated the animal from some parts of the country. Their engineering ability has never endeared them to man either, as beavers can alter the flow of water in large areas dramatically with their network of dams. These critters are persistent, too. Knock out their dam once and they ll figure out a way to build it again. The new exhibit at the zoo offers a split level vantage to the workings of this busy community that occupies two pools at different elevations.