Otters-Born to be Wild

Last month a researcher a from national TV station, GMA7, called and asked if was OK if the otters came out on their show called, "Born to be Wild".  I just recently heard of the show, the first national environmental and wildlife show, by actual wildlife veterinarians. I had their Facebook news feed on my wall as well. A chap named Doc Nielsen was the show host and he would come here, film the otters and interview me.

Knowing first hand, the plight of the otters and the general public's ignorance to their very existence, spurred me to agree to have them featured, in order for them to be understood, protected and valued more alive and free in the wild.

Entering the otter enclosure with Doc. Nielsen of Born to be Wild show on GMA7 and
cameramen behind us.

When I met Doc. Nielson Donato, the show host, I was immediately put at ease by his sincerity to really help the otters. I have had other TV stations film another wild animal I fostered, a baby pangolin, and I felt it was more of a good sound byte. But Doc Nielsen, being a wildlife vet, is sincerely interested in helping not only the otters, but all wild and domestic animals.

Our assistant Jhun, (in white sleeveless t-shirt) with the otters and crew in the mangroves nearby.

 Our otters shot by Born to be Wild.

The show came on this morning and I was very pleased with the result. Doc Nielsen did a good job of getting out some of the most important information given the short time frame for that segment.

Explaining what I know about the otters to the show host Doc. Nielsen Donato.

I was sort of hoping they would say that Palawan otters are monogamous.  I feel people can relate to that, and how the family sticks together with only the Alpha parents having the litters, with the siblings raising each subsequent one.  If you capture or kill the parent of a large family, up to 12 individual otters will have to find their own way in life and start their own families. The pups or kits needing suckling, will die. With two litters per year, from the Alpha otter female, the odds are that several babies perish. That is what happened to the otters in my care. Their entire family broke up by the death of the alpha female, their mom. It means that the habitat they are in, the mangroves in this case, will have all that much more habitat claimed as their territory.

The particular mangrove our otters are from is not that large. So if we release them there,  it is a possibility that fights, sometimes fatal, will ensue. Which of course is worrisome to me.

I am happy Doc. Nielsen explained why the otters are vulnerable, most people don't even know otters exist in the Philippines, only in Palawan. It's a good start for public awareness. Take a moment to watch the show. If nothing else, seeing the otters interact is very cute and adorable.

Photo by Born to Be Wild show, GMA7 of Doc Nielsen with one of the otters.

The otters part starts at around 11:16 mins. Unfortunately, it's only in Tagalog. This is part I- Part II has the rest of the story.

Born to be Wild show aired June 22, 2014 - Part II - With Doc Nielsen Donato.

Please listen to this original song by composer/pianist/singer Tony Pollard on iTunes. If you buy it 99% of all funds will go to feeding the otters and for their caretaker. Many thanks. Click HERE to go to the iTunes link. You can also listen to it for free