“Our CMM family is heartbroken today. Our beloved North American River otter, affectionately known as Chumley, has passed away.
Chumley was 20 years old and lived at CMM for most of his life, recently holding the title as the senior otter of the museum’s otter trio.
In 2016, he welcomed two new otters, Chessie Grace and Calvert, to share his habitat. Together they have been our playful stars on exhibit for the past seven years, delighting visitors by the thousands with their antics.
CMM’s Estuarine Biology team noticed a change in Chumley’s behavior over the last month and began offering him his favorite treats, such as, shrimp, scallops and carrots to encourage his appetite.
Together, our staff did all that was possible to keep Chumley comfortable. River otters generally live around ten to twelve years in the wild, and fifteen to twenty years in captivity.
We are forever grateful for the time with Chumley and are proud of our staff and volunteers for providing the highest level of care for our animals at the museum.
We appreciate all the love and support from our community as we mourn his passing.”
Photos courtesy of Calvert Marine Museum.
