Detroit zoo says goodbye to beloved otter Lucius

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - After 18 long years of life, the Detroit Zoo said goodbye to its beloved otter Lucius.

He died after suffering from a flipped stomach, the zoo announced on social media this week.

While he outlived the average wild river otter, a species that normally lives for 12 years, his passing was still a sorrowful one. Lucius spent 15 years at the zoo and was known as an excellent father to the pups he and a female otter named Whisker, which he befriended shortly after arriving in Royal Oak.

"The two were an inseparable pair and became the first river otter parents at the Detroit Zoo in 50 years, producing multiple litters. Lucius was an excellent father and teacher who was always patient with his pups, allowing them to pile on him during play. He had a strong personality and always got along well with other otters," the zoo wrote on Facebook.

Lucius isn't the only otter the zoo has lost this year. Earlier in 2024, officials announced the passing of Ollie, a sea otter who took refuge at the zoo in 2021.