Newport Aquarium welcoming otters to new exhibit

NEWPORT, Ky. (AP) — A new exhibit at the Newport Aquarium will open this weekend to the public.

It’s called Canyon Falls and it will feature otters from Asia and some reptiles. The new exhibit will replace the area that housed Turtle Canyon, which opened last year.

Aquarium operations director Chris Pierson says visitors to the aquarium wanted an exhibit with otters.

The new attraction will feature two Asian small-clawed otters, "Neda" and "Chop," who came from zoos. The otters are considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Aquarium staff will host interactive otter talks focusing on survival adaptations and how humans impact the environment of otters.

The exhibit opens on Saturday. Some of the turtles from the previous exhibit will remain at the aquarium.

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