Currently, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has no mascot--or official symbol. There has been enthusiasm among UIUC’s online communities namely r/UIUC on Reddit, UIUC Memes for Underfunded teens, and the Alma Otter Facebook Page. To fill that void UIUC administration should consider adding River Otters as an Illinois symbol.

The North American River Otter would make a great fit. Alma Otter or the Illinois Otters fit neatly with other Big Ten mascots like Minnesota Golden Gophers, Wisconsin Badgers, and Northwestern Wildcats. North American River Otters are also a great Illinois wildlife comeback story as they were almost eliminated from Illinois entirely in the 1980s due to loss of habitat and over-hunting. Now, otters are in every county in Illinois! Otters are also predators. Their diet mainly consists of fish but also including birds, insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and mollusks. Otters have broad appeal, are inclusive to students and faculty of all backgrounds, are unique to Illinois wildlife, and are very cute! Tell UIUC Administration, the Board of Trustees, and Chancellor Jones that we need to start a new tradition and have a critical conversation about Alma Otter!