Asta the otter at NC aquarium getting ‘Sweet 16’ party, 3-tier cake

Ashley Anderson
·2 min read

FORT FISHER, N.C. (WNCN) — Anyone with a few minutes to spare on Tuesday can say they attended an elderly otter’s birthday party.

Asta, a well-loved and uniquely talented Asian small-clawed otter, is having a party thrown in her honor both virtually and in person at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. The party will be streamed on the aquarium’s Facebook page from 11-11:25 a.m. or those with tickets can take part at the aquarium’s “Otters on the Edge” display.

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The party will include a three-tier frozen cake complete with some of her favorite treats. There will also be some new shells and rocks which she is known to juggle — yes, juggle.

“If you come to the aquarium and see a small otter with a little grey smudge under her right nostril, juggling and rolling a small rock, shell, or both at once between her forepaws with amazing dexterity, that’s our Asta,” the aquarium said in a press release.

Asta, the oldest Asian small-clawed otter at the North Carolina Aquarium is set to enjoy some fishy treats on Tuesday, March 5 in honor of her Sweet 16. (Courtesy NC Aquarium)
Asta, the oldest Asian small-clawed otter at the North Carolina Aquarium is set to enjoy some fishy treats on Tuesday, March 5 in honor of her Sweet 16. (Courtesy NC Aquarium)

Asta is known for her skills as well as her resilience. She’s had several medical procedures, including most recently a hysterectomy at age 15 to remove a “worrisome mass” and a double tooth extraction procedure at age 14.

At her Sweet 16, there will be time for a conversation with lead otter keeper Shannon Anderson who will provide a unique perspective on what it is like to care for a special otter like Asta, even as she ages.

Not only accompanied at the aquarium by more of her species, Asta is also in the company of her son, Ray, who she is known to keep a pretty close eye on. Together, the mother-son duo enjoy peeling and snacking on hard-boiled eggs.

Ray and Asta rest on a rock side-by-side. (Courtesy NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher)
Ray and Asta rest on a rock side-by-side. (Courtesy NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher)

Asta’s species is known as the smallest otter species on the planet and is native to Indonesia, southern China, southern India, Southeast Asia and the Philippines. The Asian small-clawed otter is listed as “vulnerable” on a international list of endangered species and has an average life expectancy of 12 years when in human care.

Then again, there are several who defy the odds, like Asta. Some have been known to even live beyond 20 years old, according to the Smithsonian Institute.

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets for range from free to $12.95 based on age. For more information and a facility map, visit the aquarium’s ticketing site.

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