Zoo says goodbye to Tilly, beloved otter mom

The Oregon Zoo is mourning the loss of Tilly, the oldest member of its North American river otter family, who was humanely euthanized today following a decline due to her advanced age. At 16, Tilly was considered geriatric for her species. The median life expectancy for river otters is 12.9 years in AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums.

“This is a very sad time, especially for Tilly’s care staff,” said Jen Osburn Eliot, who oversees the zoo’s North America area. “Some of our keepers were here the day she first arrived in 2009 as a tiny pup. She overcame adversity just to survive, and she helped other otters do the same.” 

Tilly, named after the Tillamook River, was found orphaned near Johnson Creek in 2009. Just a few months old, she had been wounded by an animal attack and was seriously malnourished. After being rescued, she came to the Oregon Zoo in a transfer facilitated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Tilly was known for her amazing parenting skills, winning the zoo’s “Mom of the Year” award in 2013. In addition to raising four pups of her own — Mo, Ziggy, Tucker and Nellie — she was an adoptive mom for rescued orphans like Little Pudding and current Oregon Zoo residents Flora and Hobson.

“Young river otters are extremely dependent on their mothers, and Tilly not only raised her own offspring but three other young pups who had lost their moms and needed a second chance,” Osburn Eliot said.

She could also be tough when needed, as when teaching her pups how to swim. Tilly’s first pup, Mo, made a big splash 12 years ago when video of his rough-and-tumble swimming lessons earned more than a million views on the zoo’s YouTube channel.

Tilly earned another measure of fame in 2012, when the popular NBC sitcom “30 Rock” aired a photo of her, noting a resemblance to comedian Tracy Jordan (played by Tracy Morgan).

Once threatened by fur trappers, North American river otters are now relatively abundant in healthy river systems of the Pacific Northwest and the lakes and tributaries that feed them. Good populations exist in suitable habitat in northeast and southeast Oregon, but they are scarce in heavily settled areas, especially if waterways are compromised. Because of habitat destruction and water pollution, river otters are considered rare outside the region.

Metro, the regional government that manages the Oregon Zoo, has preserved and restored more than 90 miles of river and stream banks in the region through its voter-supported natural area programs. By protecting water quality and habitat, these programs are helping to provide the healthy ecosystems needed for otters, fish and other wildlife to thrive. River otters are frequently observed in Metro region waterways.