(Wesley | Photo by John Williams)
The High Desert Museum is excited to announce the name of the new North American river otter pup that came to live in the Autzen Otter Exhibit in 2022: Wesley!
The opportunity to choose a name for the male pup was auctioned in August at the Museum’s annual High Desert Rendezvous fundraiser. The Bounds family, longtime friends of the Museum, stepped up to name the newest member of the wildlife family. Knowing the special appeal of the playful otters to the Museum’s youngest visitors, they entrusted the naming to a seven-year-old family member, the fourth generation of Boundses to generously support the Museum’s mission. The name Wesley has a family connection, but originates from a combination of the cardinal direction “west” and a clearing of grassy land, “lea.”
“The otter exhibit is the highlight for so many people’s visits to the Museum, and we’re so grateful to have helped play even the smallest part in it. Wesley is destined to be a friend to many, and we look forward to visiting him every chance we get,” said Tucker Bounds, member of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.
“The community has been as curious and excited as we are to learn the name of this rambunctious river otter,” said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “We invite all to come see why a group of river otters is called a romp!”
Wesley came into the care of the Museum in May of last year after he was found near Sunriver. Then believed to be about eight weeks old, he was emaciated and severely dehydrated. After multiple wildlife professionals attempted to locate his mother over nearly a week, state officials determined he should remain at the Museum.
The pup, which weighed 2.4 pounds on arrival, presently weighs about 15 pounds. In the wild, otters become independent at approximately 12 months old.
Media representatives are invited to see the young otter, as well as Museum staff, today, Monday, February 13, from 1-2pm. Please contact Director of Communications Heidi Hagemeier if you wish to visit.
Visitors can learn more about the three North American river otters in the Museum’s care — Brook, Pitch and Wesley — at the daily Otter Encounter at 1pm. A naturalist shares what role these charismatic animals play in riparian ecosystems of the High Desert and how they are indicators of a healthy river community.
“Wesley is almost as big as the two other resident adult otters,” Museum Curator of Wildlife Jon Nelson said. “The three of them get along well but Wesley can wear out the other two, just like any family group.”
This is not the first young otter to come into the Museum’s care. Pitch was found along the Metolius River and brought to the Museum in 2017. Wildlife staff raised him from about 7 weeks old. Brook, the other male otter, is approximately ten years old.
The Museum cares for more than 100 animals, from otters to raptors. All the animals are nonreleasable, primarily due to injuries or because they are habituated — meaning they became too familiar with humans and possibly never learned how to hunt or avoid predators. At the Museum, they serve as ambassadors who educate visitors about the conservation of High Desert species and landscapes.
About the Museum:
The High Desert Museum opened in Bend in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service.