Meet Friendly the Otter
River Otter Fun Facts:
- A group of river otters is called a raft.
- Otters have a long body, short legs and a muscular
neck. - Fur color varies from light brown to almost black.
- Otters have long, thick whiskers and webbed feet.
- Weights range from 11 to 20 pounds.
- Otters can hold their breath for 8 minutes under water.
- Their full repels water.
- Otters are most active at night and at dawn and dusk.
- Species similar to the river otter are the mink, muskrat
and beaver.
Age: 2 years
LAST NAME: Raft
SIBLINGS: Maumee and St. Joe
FAVORITE FOODS: The Cod Po Boy from The Deck or any fish found at Meijer
FAVORITE ACTIVITY ON THE RIVER: Taking a ride on Sweet Breeze along the river!
FAVORITE SONG: Moon River
FAVORITE BOOK: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Dr. Seuss
FAVORITE MOVIE: Zootopia- I love that an otter plays one of the lead roles!
FAVORITE COLOR: Blue
JOB: Ultimate Drain Stormer
FUN FACTS: Did you know the animal with the most-dense fur is the river otter? So don’t worry, the Indiana winters don’t bother me!
Meet Some of My Friends
Did you know that when sea otters sleep they hold hands so they don’t drift apart? This behavior is known as rafting. Check out this video of some of my friends taking a nap.
Where's Friendly Contest
Cassidy Merkle was a winner of the Where’s Friendly Contest. She and Friendly enjoy a bike ride along the river.
Friendly Travels Internationally
Friendly is Off to Calgary
Friendly and Clean Drains Fort Wayne’s Education Committee Chairwoman Lynne Gilmore fly off the Calgary for a glorious vacation. Both will be missed back here in Fort Wayne. Let’s hope that Friendly doesn’t find a new home in any of the rivers in the Canadian Rockies!!
Friendly is Over the Border
Friendly has found out that tap water in Canada has higher purification standards than any bottled water. It’s a fact. Friendly approves ultra-clean
Adventure Continues
Friendly enjoying his hotel room’s balcony view and sparkling stream. Excited for his visit to Glacier National Park.
Friendly Makes Friends
Boat Captain Dylan (who is also an oceanography major at Oregon State) showed Friendly around St. Mary Lake in British Columbia, Canada. The lake was formed by glaciers so the water is crystal clear. It is also surrounded by dozens of mountain peaks for additional beautiful scenery.
Friendly Loves Waterfalls
Friendly is green with envy with the emerald-green color of this glacier waterfall. The color is attributed to the fine silt that runs down from the mountain. The silt isn’t heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the riverbed; so, it is suspended in the water and reflects the light which results in the most beautiful hues.
Friendly Visits an Icefield
Friendly made his way to Banff National Park’s Columbia Icefield which is at a 10,000-foot elevation. It is a 125-square-mile tract of ice and snow making it the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains.
Friendly Visits a Glacier
Friendly is on the Athabasca Glacier, the most visited glacier in North America. The water from the glacier is so pure it is drinkable. Friendly loved the gleaming glacier but the environment isn’t too friendly to wildlife as it is a tad too cold.
Friendly Visits a Lake
Friendly spent time at Maligne Lake, another beautiful emerald green glacier-fed lake. He is looking out from Spirit Island which is surrounded by several glaciers known as the Hall of Gods. This is one of North America’s most iconic photography. Kodak used it as one of its Kodak Moments. Friendly has earned his bragging rights to say, “Been there, done that!”
Otters Around Town
Blue Heron Mural
Did you know a group of otters is called a raft? These otters were painted by Jeremy Stroup for his Blue Heron Mural sponsored by Art This Way. It is located on Calhoun and Grand Streets.
River Otter Mural
Otters are definitely making their presence in Fort Wayne
known!! The River Otter mural by Arlin Graff painted in the alleyway
at 927 S. Harrison Street
Friendly Makes New Friends Around Fort Wayne
Harriett Inskeep
The Journal Gazette Foundation
Julie Inskeep
Former Publisher, The Journal Gazette
Friendly Takes On Promenade Park
Otter Around Town
Check out where Friendly has been around town!
First Day of School
I had my first day of visiting schools at Forest Park Elementary in April. It was so much fun to visit with the students and to teach them about being River SmART!
Friendly Visits PBS Explorer Day
