Member Spotlight: Charlotte D., Age 8

​We're very grateful to the many people who make up our Zoo community. Beyond our animals and staff, the Zoo family comprises volunteers, students who engage with us in Conservation Discovery Corps and Explorers, members, and many more who make the Zoo the vibrant place that it is.

We want to share some "Friends of the Zoo.” Today, meet Charlotte D., 8, of Westport. Charlotte and her family have been members of the Zoo since 2018. 

How long have you and your family been Zoo members?
You will have to ask my dad, but we’ve been zoo members for as long as I can remember. 
 
How often do you come to the Zoo?
We go to the zoo every few weeks, a few times a month? It’s basically the only place we have gone since the germ.
 
Who brings you to the Zoo most often? Mom and Dad? Any sisters or brothers?
My mom, my dad, and my baby brother come to the zoo with me.
 
What’s your favorite animal to visit? If you could be a Zookeeper for a day, who would you like to take care of?
It is very hard to pick between Tahu the otter and Rochan the red panda! In my bracket I have Tahu the otter as the winner.
 
Would you like to draw a picture of a Zoo animal for us?
 
Yes, I drew a picture of a red panda for you!
 
What questions would you like to ask a Zookeeper? (see answers below)
How long are otters and red pandas lifetime?
Do red pandas and giant pandas live in the same place?
Do red pandas and otters live near each other?
 
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
I adopted Rochan from the zoo last year, and I got a stuffed animal and a certificate.
I hope you get some bears soon.
I hope the carousel opens soon. The first animal I will ride is the giant panda!
It’s a great place to have a birthday party.
I like to spend my own money at the Wolf’s Den Trading Post, that is the gift shop.
 
Kids should know the zoo is a good place to go. There are lots of places to run around, lots of animals to see, and the leopards will stare at you. I think they want to eat my brother.
 
The funniest thing I saw at the zoo was one time this summer the anteater was in with the spider monkeys and they were being so silly. The monkey smacked the anteater on his bum and would run away, and the anteater would charge, then the monkeys would take their food and swing really fast up into the air where the anteater couldn’t get them.
 
The saddest thing I heard about was that one of the red pandas died.

Drawing of Red panda by Charlotte

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Zookeeper Q&A

Answered by Bethany Thatcher

1. How long are otters and red pandas lifetime?
We have a North American River Otter at the zoo.  Their maximum lifespan under human care is 25 years with an average of 17 years.  In the wild, their lifespan is closer to 10-12 years.  That's one benefit of having free food and health care!  Our girl, "Tahu,” is only 2 years old so we should have her for a long time.
 
Red pandas have a lifespan of about 8 years in the wild, and up to 15 years in human care.
 
2. Do red pandas and giant pandas live in the same place?
Red pandas and giant pandas do have overlapping habitat ranges in China, so yes, sometimes they can live in the same place.
 
3. Do red pandas and otters live near each other?
The habitat of the North American River Otter is - you guessed it- North America! So they do not overlap with the red panda.  Asian Small Clawed Otters are the closest, but they prefer lowland aquatic environments, where the red pandas prefer the higher elevations and colder temperatures; so they do not overlap either... 
 
Thank you so much for loving the zoo! (And yes, the leopards do want to eat your brother...  😉)