PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Zoo river otter Tilly’s two pups are now 4 weeks old and have started taking their first, tentative steps, zookeepers say.
The next step is to give them names, and that's where you come in (Ottery McOtterface is not among the options).
“The little ones haven’t opened their eyes yet, but they’re growing fast and getting more mobile,” said senior keeper Julie Christie. “They usually don’t travel too far when their eyes are closed. We think it’s time to name them before they really start to roam around.”
The zoo has come up with a list of possible names for each pup and is asking the public to weigh in.
“For river otters, we like to choose names based on local waterways,” Christie said. “River otters are sensitive to water pollution, but we’re fortunate to live in a region that supports a healthy otter population. We want these pups’ names to highlight the importance of protecting our rivers, streams and wetlands.”
For the female pup:
- Abiqua (Abby): A Pudding River tributary
- Calapooia (Cali): A Willamette River tributary
- Nehalem (Nellie): A river that flows from the Coast Range to Nehalem Bay
For the male pup:
- Nestucca (Tucker): A forested river near the coast
- John Day (J.D.): A Columbia tributary, the third-longest free-flowing river in the contiguous U.S.
- Wallooskee (Skeeter): a 10-mile tributary of the Youngs River
Votes will be accepted through Wednesday, April 5, and the zoo will announce the winning names on Thursday, April 6.
