Wisconsin Zoo Otters Loose After Escaping During Winter Storm

A couple of otters decided to really enjoy the winter.

The search is on for a couple of North American otters from the NEW Zoo & Adventure Park in Suamico.

According to KWQC, the two critters escaped during a winter storm on Thursday morning. The good news, according to the zoo, is that the fresh snowfall helped them easily find tracks to follow.

The otters, Louis and Ophelia, were discovered missing Thursday morning after staff found a breach in buried fencing around their habitat. The zoo staff initiated procedures for escaped animals and brought in a professional tracker to find them. Tracks showed that they went through the Reforestation Camp and kept circling back to the zoo.

Meanwhile, video footage from the zoo looks like the animals seem to be enjoying their romp. They can be seen sliding on their bellies and checking out nearby water. After all, animals like to play in the snow too.

Zoo staff said that otters are territorial so there's a good possibility that they will return to their habitat on their own. But for now, they think that Louis and Ophelia will find plenty of safe places to sleep and food around the ponds that surround the zoo.

But as much fun as the otters are having, there's still the matter of finding them. If you happen to see the otters, let the zoo know, so they can document the sighting and work with the professional tracker and the motion-activated cameras to find them.