On July 10, L.A. Zoo welcomed the birth of two Giant Otter pups. Zoo staff are currently caring for the Otters at the Winnick Family Animal Care Center. They can be viewed through nursery windows. Once they have matured enough they will go out on-exhibit. Giant Otters are extremely rare in zoos and are exhibited in only five U.S. institutions. Native to the slow moving streams, lakes and swamps in the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata river systems of South America, the IUCN endangered mammals face challenges from illegal poaching and chemical water pollution. Keep an eye out for L.A. Zoo's other current critters!

Photo credits: Tad Motoyama