BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - s4story -- Wonder Gardens has officially unveiled the Robert & Deborah Blain Otter Grotto, a naturalistic, engaging habitat for its first playful residents – Ivy and Mae, two rescued female American river otters from Louisiana.

The $300,000 otter exhibit was made possible by Robert and Deborah Blain and is designed with both animal welfare and the viewing experience in mind. The enclosure is surrounded by a non-climbable, vinyl fence with a glass viewing panel offering unobstructed views of the otters. The otter grotto features a pool and waterfall that takes up about a quarter of the overall space, as well as plants and grass to simulate their natural environment.

The enclosure also features multiple substrates throughout, including a dry riverbed with a variety of stones for the otters to interact with and groom themselves on. Additionally, the space includes an overhang, resembling a cave, which will offer the otters a shaded place to sleep and escape the Florida sun.

"We are excited to welcome Ivy and Mae to the Wonder Gardens, and we are so grateful to Bob and Deb Blain for making this possible," said Neil Anderson, president and CEO of Wonder Gardens. "While they love to swim, otters are actually land mammals that like to dig, interact and play, so we've created an enriching, stimulating environment for them to thrive in. This exhibit is a meaningful step in our master plan, and we know Ivy and Mae will quickly become visitor favorites."

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In the future, Wonder Gardens plans to implement Phase II of the project, which will include doubling the size of the enclosure to accommodate otter pups and add more viewing areas. This expanded space will also provide the opportunity for the zookeepers and otters to go through veterinary training to support their health and enrichment.

Otters, which are among the most popular animals with zoo and aquarium-goers, were historically part of the 90-year-old Wonder Gardens but have been absent for several years.

To learn more about the exhibit or to support Phase II of the project, please visit WonderGardens.org. (https://wondergardens.org/)

About Wonder Gardens

The Wonder Gardens is a nonprofit zoological park and botanical garden established in 1936 in Bonita Springs that is dedicated to preserving and upgrading the best of the site's history; caring for rescued, rehabilitated and non-releasable animals; growing its botanical beauty and delivering engaging education programs and events. For information, visit WonderGardens.org or call 239-992-2591.