To the delight of visitors and her caregivers, a rescue otter at the Oregon Zoo has mastered the art of dunking a basketball.
The accompanying footage shows Juno dunking through a hoop from several angles.
“Clam dunk! Rescued sea otter (and ottermatic all-star) Juno plays basketball to stay in shape,” the zoo boasted Monday via Twitter.
Clam dunk! Rescued sea otter (and ottermatic all-star) Juno plays basketball to stay in shape. pic.twitter.com/Oav85LSslZ
— Oregon Zoo (@OregonZoo) June 12, 2023
In a news release, the zoo explained that Juno’s training sessions help prevent stiffness and arthritis in her aging joints.
“Juno loves to play basketball,” said Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, the zoo’s senior marine life keeper. “She gets so excited whenever we bring the ball out. And she’s good too!”
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Juno, 9, is one of three Oregon Zoo otters that were rescued as orphaned pups off California and rehabilitated at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Otters are famously playful, but at the Oregon Zoo, only Juno excels at hoops.
“If she chooses to, Juno can pick one of the balls up in her front paws and dunk it into her special basket,” the zoo boasted. “She also ‘dribbles’ the ball by swimming around the hoop with it.”
Of course, Juno is always rewarded for her efforts: “She ends each session with some of her favorite fresh seafood.”
