Biniq

 

As a child we at times brought orphaned animals to Audrey for Rehabilitation. My mother even to this day comments on my ability to find lost animals – 4 huge black labs greeted her at the door one day after work who were legitimately lost. When I was old enough I came to volunteer at the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a day that is still fresh in my thoughts. Sunny, warm, fall afternoon, Tony, Janet and Audrey were sitting having lunch as I shyly walk in asking if I could help for the day. “I have just the jobs for you” Tony remarked with a smile on his face. “How would you like to entertain an otter”? I was hooked after that. When the day came that my dreams and wishes of working for Audrey came true my one aspiration was to rehabilitate an otter. 2 ½ years waiting had finally ended.

 

Biniq is from Manitoba. Her mother was killed when trying to cross a road with her. She was rescued but unfortunately there is no Sanctuary in Manitoba for orphaned and injured animals. Luckily the Cinniboin Zoo was able to house her until the mountains of paper work could be passed to allow her to cross the borders into Ontario.

 

Everyday I eagerly awaited the news of her arrival. An airline called Bearskin Airways donates their time to flying any animal to North Bay for the Sanctuary. And what a gift they were bringing to me. The drive up was long and waiting for her to get off the plane seemed to take even longer. North Bay is a small but quaint airport and this day it echoed with the sounds of a small and frightened otter pup. Drawing the attention of all the staff and waiting passengers in our direction. As I placed her kennel on my lap in the truck and opened the door gently, the squeaks and chirps told me how scared she felt. I placed my hand at the bass of the door and let her come to me when and if she was ready. Within 10 minutes she was my newfound friend. I have never seen a face so alert, so intelligent, and so beautiful. She was all I had hoped for.

 

Biniq is Inuit for “My Sweetheart”. Her enclosure is hidden in the back of the barn, filled with hollow logs, evergreen bows and hammocks, boasting a huge deep pond for the day when she would learn to swim. Otter pups don’t leave the den until they are three months old. At this point the mother would swim with her 2-3 pups riding on her back. Gradually sliding off to swim and attempt to float then jumping back on her back to rest. Eventually they would build up strength and the ability to float. The swimming part seems to come to them naturally gliding gracefully through the water as if they were a part of it. I know this because I taught Biniq to swim. As I floated in the water she would sit on my back until she was ready to attempt this new phase in her life. Reluctant and unsure and very quick in the beginning then back up on my back. Each time seemed longer and more at ease. For a week we would go swimming in the lake and then finally she floated on her own. Then the fun began. She and I would dive under the water and twist and turn and twirl with each other in the water. You could see the joy and fulfillment in her water dance. She would explore the bottom and shoreline rolling small pieces of driftwood on her head and pushing it around with her nose. It wasn’t until later that I found out what this action was for. Until now we had only a couple of inches of water in her pond slowly building up the protective oils in her coat. Now it was time to fill it up and watch her go.

Her diet until I got Biniq consisted of just frozen fish, which didn’t offer her much of a nutritional value. She weighed 8 kg. Now she is hunting live fish in her pond, which she chases until the fish tires. Like the driftwood she would play with on her nose it was the same with the fish. Once they were caught she would roll them around on her nose, up on to her head then with her webbed front feet she would hold the fish and spin and twist with the fish until she was ready to eat. It was almost like a fish tenderizing food procedure or she just likes to play with her like I use to make train tracks in my mash potatoes. Otter meatballs are eagerly inhaled, which is a combination of ground beef and blended dry cat food. She hasn’t figured out the art of eating crayfish but that day is coming. She loves fresh water clams and snails where she will roll onto her back in the water to eat them.

I have never seen an animal with so much energy. She is constantly on the go not for a moment stopping to contemplate the meaning of rest. I call her my A.D.D. child and trying to capture pictures of her has been a challenge. She would really test the patience of any professional photographer. She is an otter- a lover of life, of the rhythm of cool water, and a true creature of beauty. I am blessed with an opportunity like this. One person should only raise an otter to eliminate the contact with other humans but otters need interaction, and play and affection that they would have received from the mother. They are a very social animal with strong family ties – staying with the mother until they are the age of two. To see Biniq released will be the most gratifying experience but until that day I am an otter mother.