Montreal's Ecomuseum mourns death of 'cherished' rescue otter, Pika

Pika, a River Otter and a much beloved resident at Montreal's Ecomuseum Zoo has died. She had brought much joy to staff and visitors since 2016.

Pika, an otter that made the Ecomuseum Zoo her home since 2016, died on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest during a medical procedure, leaving staff bereft.

"Her departure leaves an immense void in the hearts of all those fortunate enough to have witnessed her flourish in her living space," a press release said.

Pika the otter lived with other otters at the Ecomuseum Zoo after being saved from the fur trade.

The adorable creature was born in the wild but was taken in by the non-profit outdoor zoo after she was first captured for the fur trade and then rescued, the zoo explained.

The river otter was believed to have been of advanced age and so when the zoo's team detected some worrying signs, they decided to investigate.

Pika was placed under anesthesia. It was then that she went into cardiac arrest and the veterinarians couldn't revive her.

Described as an "ambassador" of their mission, David Rodrigue, the Ecomuseum's Executive Director said Pika was important for "raising awareness and a constant reminder of the fragility of our ecosystem and the need to protect our biodiversity."