2002 Paralympic Closing Ceremonies, 15 March 2002 [46]

Group of Twin Peaks Elementary School children with Otto the Otter at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympic Games. Otto the otter, the Paralympic mascot for Salt Lake City 2002, was chosen by the organising committee because of the animal's agility and vitality. The otter is an animal with a long history in Utah, with Native American tribes once living there considering it to be one of the most powerful animals. Having nearly reached extinction in the early 20th century, otters were successfully reintroduced into the wild in 1990, showing that even the largest setbacks can be overcome.