Sunshine City Co., Ltd.
It’s been 3 years! Three baby small-clawed otter brothers were born. You can watch live videos and exhibits of babies and how they are raised. ……
At Sunshine Aquarium (Ikebukuro, Tokyo, director: Katsushi Maruyama), three baby small-clawed otters were born on Monday, May 27th. The parents of this baby are Mahalo (female) and Raja (male), a popular couple at our facility, and this is their third birth. Mahalo showed signs of giving birth around 9am on Monday, May 27th, and the first baby was born around 10:30am.
The father, Raja, is often seen holding the cubs and is taking care of them. Both parents were seen licking the butts of their pups to encourage them to defecate, and the raja was seen bringing in straw to serve as nest material from outside, and the Mahalo was seen setting the straw into the nest. I’m raising them. Thanks to the hard work of their parents in raising the cubs, the cubs are growing rapidly, and when they had their first health check on the 9th day after birth, it was discovered that all 3 cubs were male and were healthy “3 siblings.” Ta.
*You can download this release PDF from here →
https://prtimes.jp/a/?f=d20364-884-19cfcb71c4a63292edfa974279012851.pdf
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/20364/884/resize/d20364-884-f3a4b95acc66fc11cd23-0.jpg&s3=20364-884-b58a7ea452935e2ca5ada10ae2d2a8d8-1620×1080.jpg] 9 days after birth
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/20364/884/resize/d20364-884-3ca98743cee5446103cc-1.jpg&s3=20364-884-aec6065d99049e9e4ae9e3beafe32a2a-960×812.jpg] Breastfeeding situation
Currently, the cubs are being raised in the backyard of the outdoor area Marine Garden “Otters’ Waterside” aquarium, so most of the time they cannot be seen on display, but customers can also see what is happening in the backyard in real time. We will be installing a new monitor that will show live video for your viewing pleasure. Mahalo Raja of Sunshine Aquarium, please watch over his three new babies who have become part of his family.
At Sunshine Aquarium, we will continue to make full use of the breeding techniques we have cultivated, strive to breed living things and preserve species, and provide visitors with “heart-moving discoveries” and excitement through our exhibits.
Introduction of Mahalo Raja and birth scene:
https://app.box.com/s/bbkqw2jy1ptcgzltwgi42w57e36bsfwi
Data on small-clawed otter
Child name undecided
Four puppies were born on the morning of Monday, May 27, 2024 (birth started around 10:30).
All three are male. (1 animal died)
Mother Mahalo
Age: 9 years old (born at Sunshine Aquarium on August 7, 2014) Birth: 3rd time (previously, three sisters “Temari”, “Himari” and “Airi” were born on February 1, 2021*)
Mischievous and curious. Childish desires. Its distinctive feature is its round face.
*Currently, “Temari” is on display at Tokushima Zoo, and “Himari” and “Airi” are on display at Shinagawa Aquarium.
father raja
Age: 9 years old (Born on June 5, 2015 at a zoo in Malaysia. Raised at Sunshine Aquarium from December 20, 2017)
We named him “Raja”, which means “king” in Malay, because we wanted him to become a king-like figure who protects the family of small-clawed otters at Sunshine Aquarium. Timid and cautious personality. His distinctive feature is his charming face.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/20364/884/resize/d20364-884-96da782068269576cf03-2.jpg&s3=20364-884-34b52252ddaac922f1cfe3fd14e12706-1200×800.jpg] Left: Raja Right: Mahalo
Creating an environment where you can give birth and raise your child with peace of mind
Utilizing the experience of the breeding staff who observed and supported the birth and rearing of the Mahalo and Rajah pair three years ago, we created an environment where Mahalo and Rajah can give birth and raise their young with peace of mind, and gave birth to protect the lives of the babies. I have been making various
preparations in advance.
Even the seemingly ordinary backyard (nurturing space) is filled with the thoughts of the breeding staff.
●Preparation of a well-organized environment
We prepared straw and natural grass for nesting materials, prepared an environment for giving birth and raising young, and raised the floor with slats to prevent their bodies from getting wet. We also carefully adjusted and set the lighting intensity, temperature, and humidity while monitoring the conditions of the creatures.
●New installation/expansion of surveillance cameras
The monochrome surveillance camera installed in the backyard was changed to a color one. Additionally, we added a color camera so that we can see inside the nest. As a result, more information such as the baby’s movements and size can be seen from the camera footage, and by allowing breeding staff to observe the baby without entering the backyard as much as possible, it provides an environment where the two can concentrate on raising their young. Now you can.
In addition, by making live footage available on a special monitor in the facility, we are preparing to allow our customers to see how the cubs are being raised in the nest in the backyard and what the babies look like. We will continue to send out videos that convey the charm of otters on social media and other sites.
Sunshine Aquarium Official X: https://x.com/Sunshine_Aqua
Sunshine Aquarium official YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/SunshineAquarium
●Install a feeder
Feeders (*) handmade by breeding staff are installed on the display and in the backyard. In the previous birth, the Mahalo had been feeding less and less each time the baby was being raised, so this time we set up a feeder in advance so that the Mahalo, which needs more nutrition through breastfeeding, could eat at a time of its own choosing. I’m making sure they have access to food.
*Feeder: Feeding device. At Sunshine Aquarium, in order to bring out the natural movement of “moving and capturing food,” we use a variety of feeders with tricks that make it impossible to obtain food without making a special effort. The feeder we will install this time is designed so that you can quickly obtain food with a simple device. *About the feeder: https://youtu.be/yX0ELmrClrg?si=eWdajfK5v5_KF6ND
[Video 2: https://prtimes.jp/api/movieim.php?url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX0ELmrClrg] Comments from breeding staff
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/20364/884/resize/d20364-884-8633d1ba8bc05a9f51db-3.jpg&s3=20364-884-544eee03d172af2d46853a5d14d79693-3248×2432.jpg] Sunshine Aquarium Otter breeding staff Harumasa Ashikari
This time I gave birth a little later than my expected due date, so I was anxiously waiting to see when labor would start. I was wondering how big Mahalo’s body would grow…It’s not good for him to grow too big, so I had a strong desire to give birth as soon as possible. We watched the birth through a camera in the backyard, but this was the first time for all of the care staff to see the birth in real time, and it was a moment of sweaty hands and strength. It was both moving and mysterious, and at the same time, it was a relief. However, I didn’t know how many puppies would be born, so even after giving birth to one or two, I was filled with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.
After giving birth, I felt humbled by the parents who were already raising the baby. As parents who have given birth and raised babies several times, depending on the circumstances of the child and the parents, it is not a given that the child will grow up healthy, so I would like to watch over the child’s growth day by day. We would also like to closely check and collect information on their behavior while raising their young, and disseminate information about the habits and ecology of small-clawed otters, as well as the status of raising their young. I believe that these findings will be utilized in elucidating the species of small-clawed otter and in breeding it in the future. We will also be showing live footage from the backyard, so we hope you will see not only breastfeeding scenes, but also scenes of parents working together to raise their babies. In addition, we believe that the cubs will appear on display in the summer, so customers will be able to see how the cubs are nursing, raising their young, and growing in the aquarium. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching the curious and slightly scared pups come and go. I want her to grow up to be a naughty little-clawed otter who is full of curiosity and can do many things she wants to do.
*You can download this release PDF from here →
https://prtimes.jp/a/?f=d20364-884-19cfcb71c4a63292edfa974279012851.pdf ※The image is an image.
More details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000884.000020364.html