River otter who appeared on '30 Rock' for resemblance to Tracy Jordan dies
River otter who appeared on '30 Rock' for resemblance to Tracy Jordan dies
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Tilly, the famous river otter at Oregon Zoo, dies at 16
Oregon Zoo is mourning the death of their famous river otter, Tilly, at the age of 16. She won the zoo's 'Mom of the Year' award in 2013.
Tilly, a 16-year-old otter, known for her motherly instincts and cameo on "30 Rock" has died. She was humanely euthanized April 30 due to declining health and old age, Oregon Zoo said.
"This is a very sad time, especially for Tilly's care staff," Jen Osburn Eliot, who oversees the zoo's North America area, said in a statement. "Some of our keepers were here the day she first arrived in 2009 as a tiny pup. She overcame adversity just to survive, and she helped other otters do the same."
Tilly came to Oregon Zoo in 2009 as an orphaned pup when she was only a few months old, Oregon Zoo said. She had been critically injured in an animal attack and was seriously malnourished at the time of her rescue.
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Tilly previous named 'Mom of the Year'
However, Tilly, named after Oregon's Tillamook River, thrived at the zoo and became renowned for her parenting skills, winning the zoo's "Mom of the Year" award in 2013. Tilly not only raised her own four pups — Mo, Ziggy, Tucker and Nellie — she was also the adoptive mom for rescued orphans Little Pudding and current Oregon Zoo residents Flora and Hobson, the zoo said.
"Young river otters are extremely dependent on their mothers, and Tilly not only raised her own offspring but three other young pups who had lost their moms and needed a second chance," Osburn Eliot said.
Tilly's '30 Rock' fame
Tilly also earned fame for her cameo on "30 Rock." NBC's popular sitcom aired a photo of her in 2012, noting a resemblance to Tracy Jordan (played by comedian Tracy Morgan).
Otters in the US
Once endangered due to excessive fur trapping in the 19th century, North American river otters are now thriving in healthy river systems and lakes in the Pacific Northwest. These social species are sensitive to water pollution and will disappear from areas with high human populations if the waterways are compromised, Oregon Zoo said, which is why they are considered rare outside the region.
River otters usually live up to 12.9 years in captivity, according to Oregon Zoo. Tilly, at 16, was considered geriatric for her species.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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- USA Today
Friday the 13th is tomorrow. Here's why people think it's unlucky
Friday the 13th is tomorrow. Here's why people think it's unlucky Show Caption Hide Caption Why we freak out about Friday the 13th Discover why Friday the 13th has been known to give some people the creeps. USA TODAY June 13 may be an unlucky date this year as it falls on a Friday, making it the first and only Friday the 13th of 2025. The unlucky date has long been a staple of pop culture, most notably being the title of the long-running film franchise. Last year saw Friday the 13th on the calendar twice, while 2026 will have three instances of Fridays the 13th in February, March and November. According to National Geographic Kids, the exact origins of when Friday the 13th became thought of as unlucky are unknown, however, it "likely comes from the Christian religion." "For example, in the Bible, Judas — a person who is said to have betrayed Jesus — was the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Also in the Bible, many unfortunate things happened on Fridays," according to the magazine. Here's why some think Friday the 13th is unlucky. Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? Friday the 13th combines two taboos that come from the Bible, according to Dr. Phil Stevens, a retired anthropology professor from the University at Buffalo and the author of a book titled "Rethinking the Anthropology of Magic and Witchcraft: Inherently Human." Based on the story of the Last Supper of Jesus, 13 people were seated at the table and it happened on a Thursday. He was arrested that evening, and crucified the next day, on a Friday. "So 13 is associated with that terrible event. And Friday, the 13th you get a double whammy. You get both of these elements coming together: the taboo against 13, and the crucifixion, which was on a Friday," Stevens said in a previous interview with USA TODAY. Even though the taboo is tied to the Last Supper, Stevens said it didn't become widespread until 1,000 years after Jesus's story, when more people became interested in the Bible. Now he thinks the taboo is weakening as people embrace the number 13 more, and it is only a matter of time before it phases out. Stevens said that he likes to think of the superstition around Friday the 13th as an example of magical thinking. He says that magical thinking is when someone believes is there is a causal relationship between two things that are otherwise unrelated. For example, Friday and 13 together take on a different quality when they fall on the same day. Why do some get ink on Friday the 13th? How the day became lucky for the tattoo industry He also said he thinks of it as a taboo, as superstition has a negative connotation, even when someone uses it to describe their own belief. "The word taboo actually is appropriate for this kind of a superstition. Because it's the it's the term that means avoiding establishing a magical connection. People can actively work magic to make things happen, recognizing the connections between things, but if the connections between things could cause an unfortunate result, then people avoid those connections." Stevens said at the time.
