Otterly adorable: Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes playful new resident

CHICAGO - Just around the riverbend at Lincoln Park Zoo, visitors may spot a playful new face splashing into the spotlight.

The backstory:

Mystie, a 1-year-old North American river otter, is settling into her new home at the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo.

Still considered an adolescent, Mystie is expected to reach full maturity around age 2, according to zoo officials. She arrived at Lincoln Park Zoo through a recommendation from the North American River Otter Species Survival Plan.

Mystie is already getting acquainted with Tucker, the zoo’s 7-year-old resident river otter. While the pair will share the habitat, zoo officials said there are currently no plans for breeding.

Zoo guests can often catch Tucker darting through the water or scampering around the exhibit — and now Mystie is joining the fun.

What they're saying:

"North American river otters are full of energy, and Mystie is no exception. This is a playful species, and we’ve already seen her utilizing all the landscape and water features at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo," said Curator Dan Boehm. "We’re excited to see how Mystie finds new ways to have fun in her habitat and exhibit play behaviors with Tucker as they continue to get to know each other."

What's next:

River otters aren’t just making waves at Lincoln Park Zoo. The species also has been spotted living along the Chicago River.

More information is available on the Lincoln Park Zoo website.