ST. LOUIS – The Saint Louis Zoo lost an animal member today. Grover, a beloved 19-year-old male North American river otter, died on Friday, Oct. 7.
In recent years, Grover developed arthritis. The animal care and veterinary teams provided extra care to keep him comfortable in his golden years.
Besides his advanced arthritis, heart disease was found to be a major contributor to his death. This is common in older North American river otters.
Grover was born at the Saint Louis Zoo in 2003 and sired six liters of pups through the years. In 2016, Grover moved to a different Zoo habitat, where he was reunited with his son Oscar, now 16.
Grover was an amazing ambassador for the Zoo and his species. He had a gentle personality and loved training with his keepers. He also loved tobogganing in the snow, rolling and digging in sand, and posing for underwater photos with guests.
The Zoo asks you to please keep the animal care team and all who supported Grover in your thoughts during this time. Thank you to everyone who helped provide care for him over the years.
