the otter family have cubs
[Music]
seeing autocubs in the wild like this
is extremely rare
[Music]
charlie counts six tiny cubs a record
number
making a grand total of 15 family
members
diablo and his mate sophia are certainly
playing their part in helping to
maintain the survival of giant otters in
this part of the amazon
but so many cups will be quite a handful
the family will certainly have their
work cut out keeping them out of danger
the first thing the cubs need to learn
is how to swim
so this family outing
is actually a swimming lesson
strangely otter cubs don't actually like
water so lessons like this one are
essential
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there's one cub in particular who
catches the eye
not because he's muddier than the others
but because he really doesn't like the
water
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despite mum's best efforts all he wants
to do is get back to the warmth and
security of the den
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the other cubs all seem to be enduring
their swimming lesson some even look
like they're starting to get the hang of
it
but this little cub's just not having it
so in the end
there's nothing for it but to just pick
him up
and dunk him in the water
[Music]
as cubs all of the otters here are given
names to help any scientist studying
them
it seems fitting to give this cup a name
appropriate to lake salvador
so charlie calls him darling
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even with the protection of a big family
the early months of a cub's life can be
the most perilous
learning to swim is just the first
danger to overcome
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only around a third of all these giant
otter cubs will make it to adulthood
[Music]
at this age the cubs tire easily
so it's not long before their swimming
lesson is over and they're taken back to
the warmth and safety of the den
[Music]
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