Address: 대구 중구 명덕로 99 근린생활시설 5층 이웃집수달
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COVID 19 MESSAGE: The zoo is peridocially closed due to COVID 19. Please check the Naver link to see if it is open before visiting.
I feel like Neighbour Otter is a hidden gem in Daegu, and one that I only came across by chance after seeing their YouTube account and realising they were in my city. However, I now put it as one of my top places to visit! Neighbour Otter is an indoor petting zoo, located on the 5th floor of a building a short walk from Namsan Station (남산영) on the Yellow Monorail line. I’ve visited a few zoos and animal cafes in Korea during my time here, and some have… not been the best. The care for the animals (in my opnion) was sub-standard and I left feeling upset, however, I feel the staff at Neighbour Otter really care for the animals and care for them well. The animals have a lot of toys and things to stimulate them and the staff seem to genuinely care for them. They also have informative videos on their YouTube channel if you want more information before you go. For example, the video below about unexpected otter facts!
The zoo itself isn’t huge, but boasts a variety of animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, prairie dogs, ferrets, cats, dogs, a hedgehog, lizards, a skunk, a huge tortoise, and even a goat! On entry there are free lockers to store your belongings, and the register is at the door to the right. There is a bathroom opposite this room too. Here you can pay for your ticket (12,000 for one adult) and on busy days you may receive a numbered ticket indicating your place in line to see the otters. Take a moment to hang out with the cats here, buy a coffee, or say hi to Melon the goat! They also have some cute otter merch near the register.
They also give you a cup with some snacks in for the animals! Once you’ve paid exit back past the lockers and through the other door. Make sure you lock the baby gate to stop the dog or tortoise escaping!
While you’re waiting for your number to be called to go play with the otters you get some time to chill with all the other cuties living here! There are always members of staff in the room monitoring the animals, and while the cages are open topped don’t try to touch or grab the animals without permission. The staff will periodically bring the animals out for people to see/touch/hold depending on the animal. Some the staff will hold and allow you to touch, others (like the ferrets) you can have a little cuddle with. Just follow the staff advice for each animal. You can also feed snacks to the rabbits, guinea pigs, and tortoise. But be careful with the tortoise! It’s a biter so be sure to wear the protective gloves available.
I’ve been to the zoo 3 times, but my last visit here was on a rainy Saturday afternoon, and this was the longest wait I’ve had yet at an hour. This does give you plenty of time to see all the animals, but the zoo is not very big so there is also seating if you want to chill while you wait for the otter room. Eventually they will call your number and then it’s otter time!
There are 3 otters at the zoo, Dolce and Latte are a male and female pair who gave birth to their baby, Mocha, in 2021. I was lucky enough to go see Mocha while she was a tiny baby! We couldn’t touch her but the staff brought her out for a 5 minute vieiwing, and at the time visits were scheduled to only 3 a day to minimise stress for the family. That was several months ago and Mocha is now a big girl who can run around and play with her family. You can see a load of adorable videos on the YouTube channel of Mocha learning to swim, eat, and catch fish. So cute~
The otter room is gated and you must wash your hands and wear the provided slippers before entering. The otters have a play area with loads of toys, chairs, a little house for sleeping, a slide, and other things to play with. At the back of the room is the pool, which has more toys and perches for the baby otter. Behind that is a private room which is no entry for customers, the otters can go there for a rest away from visitors if they need it. So far I’ve only ever seen the otters out and about and ready to play! They are energetic and curious animals, and even when they’re tired they just sleep in the beds around the guests so you’ll get plenty of interaction while not feeling like you’re pushing the otter’s limits. They seem pretty happy to chill and play!
The staff will give you some little chunks of squid that you can feed to Dolce and Latte, but at my last visit they asked us NOT to feed Mocha. These otters SNATCH so be careful to only give them one piece at a time or they’ll take all your snacks in one cheeky swipe! They are very gentle and have soft little paws which they use to take the snacks from you ❤ There are loads of toys that you can use to interact with the otters too. They will decide if they want to play with you or not though haha. I was blessed by Mocha and got to play a little tug of war game with her. My heart! Also one of the otters grabbed the ribbon on my skirt and undid it while I was sitting there. I would have been mortified but I was so busy laughing XD Cheeky little things.
They will also periodically run off for a little swim when they fancy it. It’s fun to watch them swim and play in the water! As Mocha is still learning to swim they also have a pile of rocks for her to rest on. Sometimes the staff will release mudfish into the pool and you can watch them hunt them down and eat them. Dolce in particular seems to be fond of this! But also be warned, as they are switching between the pool and play area you may end up with a wet otter on your lap, so don’t wear anything too fancy.
I was lucky enough on my last visit to see Mocha play on the slide, but not before falling off it. Too much cuteness! Hopefully if you visit you’ll catch them on an energetic day where they get up to loads of cute antics, but even on a sleepy day it’s just amazing to watch them snooze right in front of you. I usually find 30 minutes to an hour is enough to feel all ottered out, and in total I would say you need an hour or two to fully enjoy the Otter Zoo. It’s a perfect place for a weekend activity with friends, a date, and it’s also kid friendly so a great place for a family outing.
Dig In Daegu 