As temperatures soar in England, three rare giant otter pups at Chester Zoo have discovered the perfect way to cool down: their very first swim.

The triplets, named Uca, Yali and Yara, were born to first-time parents Bonita and Manu at the conservation-focused zoo in Cheshire. For weeks, the pups remained hidden in a secluded den, cared for around the clock by their parents and closely monitored by keepers. Only recently have they been deemed strong and confident enough to be introduced to the water that will define their adult lives.

The debut lesson was anything but gentle. Under the watchful eye of keepers, Bonita seized each pup by the scruff of the neck and plunged them straight into the deeper section of their pool. The scene looked alarming to onlookers, but staff say it is exactly how giant otters teach their young in the wild, forcing them to master buoyancy and paddling in a matter of seconds.

Keeper Frazer Walsh, from the zoo’s carnivore team, explained that swimming is not instinctive for the species. The pups must learn how to coordinate their powerful webbed feet and long, muscular tails, while also understanding how to surface for air and follow their parents through the water. Early sessions are short and intense, with frequent breaks on dry land as the youngsters tire quickly.

Giant otters are the largest otter species on Earth and formidable hunters in the Amazon’s river systems, where they prey on fish, crustaceans and even small caimans. Yet despite their prowess, they are highly vulnerable. Habitat loss from deforestation, mercury and other pollutants entering rivers, and historic hunting for their pelts have devastated populations across South America.

Conservationists estimate that only a few thousand giant otters remain in the wild, and the species is officially listed as endangered. Each successful birth in human care is therefore considered a significant step for their survival.

Uca, Yali and Yara are part of a coordinated European breeding programme that aims to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse safety-net population. Data gathered from their development, behaviour and health will feed into wider research, helping refine strategies to protect giant otters in their native habitats.

For now, though, the focus at Chester Zoo is on the basics: keeping three energetic pups afloat, stroke by stroke, as they learn to navigate a world where water is both playground and lifeline.