Otter Drowns After Zoo Workers Give Him a Pair of Pants

An otter died at the Calgary Zoo in Canada after a pair of pants was dropped into his enclosure by workers. Logan, a 12-year-old otter, apparently got tangled in one of the pant legs and drowned.

According to the Calgary Herald, the zoo’s director would not elaborate on how the pants got into the otter’s enclosure, but the zoo’s Facebook page called them an “unauthorized enrichment item.” The two staffers responsible were reportedly disciplined but still remain employed.

*This video shows the river otter swimming area at the Calgary Zoo as people talk loudly and push against the glass.

This isn’t the first time the zoo has come under fire for questionable animal deaths. In 2008, 41 of the 43 stingrays held at the facility died in one month, likely the result of low oxygen in their tank, which caused them to suffocate. And in 2012, a penguin named Fiona died after swallowing a stick.

Even under the best of circumstances at the best of zoos, captivity cannot begin to replicate wild animals’ habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity, where they are bored, cramped, lonely, deprived of all control over their lives, and far from their natural homes.

What You Can Do

Never patronize zoos or any other exhibit that uses live animals to turn a profit.