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Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
River otter who gave adoptive pups ‘second chance' at life dies at Oregon zoo
National River otter who gave adoptive pups 'second chance' at life dies at Oregon zoo A 'beloved' river otter named Tilly was euthanized in Oregon, zookeepers said. Screengrab from Oregon Zoo A zoo euthanized a 'beloved' North American river otter after her health declined due to her age, Oregon zookeepers said. Tilly, a river otter that was euthanized at the age of 16, which is 'geriatric for her species,' was named after the Tillamook River and was found orphaned in 2009, according to an April 30 news release from the Oregon Zoo. She was found at two months old after being attacked by a cat in an apartment complex, Renee Larison, a zookeeper said in a video. 'She was found alone so we don't know if she had brothers and sisters. We don't know if the cat dragged her out of a nest,' Larison said. She was found 'seriously malnourished' before being rescued and sent to the Oregon Zoo to recover, officials said. Tilly won the zoo's 'Mom of the Year' award in 2013 after being known for her parenting skills when raising her pups, Mo, Ziggy, Tucker and Nellie as well as being an adoptive mother to rescued orphans like Flora and Hobson, the Portland-based zoo said. 'We can really see a lot of Tilly in her daughter Nellie,' Larson said in the video. 'She's kind of similar where is just very sweet, very bright, picks up on things really fast. That is part of what makes her special.' Due to the strong demand that river pup's have, Tilly spent 99% of her time with them, either curled up and cuddling, nursing or grooming them, Larison 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,' Jen Osburn Eliot, who oversees the zoo's North America area, said, in the release. But Tilly wasn't a push-over when it came to her pups and their swim lessons, officials said. In 2012, Tilly rose to fame after being compared to Tracy Jordan, portrayed by Tracy Morgan, on NBC's TV series '30 Rock,' officials said. Although they used to be threatened by hunters wanting their fur, river otters are now living in the Pacific Northwest and in lakes where they feed, officials said. 'This is a very sad time, especially for Tilly's care staff,' Osburn Eliot said in the release. '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.' PC Paloma Chavez McClatchy DC Email this person Paloma Chavez is a reporter covering real-time news on the West Coast. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
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 Show Caption Hide Caption 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. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. 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@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Very sad time': Oregon Zoo mourns death of Tilly, the river otter mom and '30 Rock' guest star
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The Oregon Zoo is mourning the death of Tilly, the river otter who started out as a rescued orphan pup and went on to become a mother herself and had brushes with fame along the way. 'This is a very sad time, especially for Tilly's care staff,' said Jen Osburn Eliot with the Oregon Zoo, 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.' Parents to PPS: 'You're in pickle' over budget cuts Tilly was found wounded by an animal attack and malnourished near Johnson Creek. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife facilitated her transfer to the Oregon Zoo, where she would later raise pups of her own and adopt other orphans. One of Tilly's earliest tastes of fame came in 2012 when her photo was used in an . In the world of the NBC sitcom, the otter was famous for her resemblance to Tracy Morgan's character, Tracy Jordan. Tilly proved to be such an extraordinary mother that her parenting skills alone also commanded the world's attention. Back in 2013, with her first pup, Molalla, or Mo for short. Mo's rough-and-tumble antics gained over a million views on the zoo's YouTube channel. That same year, the zoo gave Tilly the 'Mom of the Year' award. Tilly's other pups included Ziggy, Tucker and Nellie. She was also an adoptive mom for other orphans, including Little Pudding, . '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. Portland expects 'couple thousand' May Day protesters Tilly was 'humanely euthanized' on Wednesday due to declining health and advanced age, the Oregon Zoo said. At 16, she was considered geriatric, with the average age for her species being 12.9 years for river otters that live in AZA-accredited zoos. Despite once being threatened due to fur trapping, river otters can today be found abundantly in healthy river systems in the Pacific Northwest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
