GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, NC (LOOTPRESS) — Grandfather Mountain is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved residents, Nova the river otter, who died on Oct. 1 following complications from a suspected blood clot during a dental procedure. She was 12 years old.
“Nova will be greatly missed by all who knew her,” said Christie Tipton, animal habitats curator for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “From staff to guests alike, but most of all by her keepers and her best friend, Oscar.”
Nova arrived at Grandfather Mountain on Aug. 31, 2013, when she was just six months old. She was believed to have been separated from her mother during heavy rainstorms that flooded her den. Rescued and rehabilitated in Lincoln County by a caretaker experienced in raising otters—including Grandfather Mountain’s other residents, Oscar and Uno—Nova quickly adapted to her new environment…