Sea Otters Return to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Photo Credit: U.S. Geological Survey 
Department of the Interior/USGS
U.S. Geological Survey/photo by Don Becker

March 23 marks the return of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's most popular exhibit, the sea otters. More than 50 million visitors have enjoyed the sea otters at the aquarium. The two-story exhibit has been upgraded to include new interactive features where visitors can learn more about the adorable animals and the efforts undertaken by the aquarium to bring them back from the brink of extinction.

The aquarium's Sea Otter Research and Conservation program is home to the only center that rescues and releases California sea otters. The program has aided more than 600 ill, injured and orphaned sea otters since 1984.

The exhibit otters have helped Monterey Bay Aquarium researchers learn more in depth information about the animals, gathering baseline data about otter growth and development.

The current sea otters who will share exhibit time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium are Rosa, Abby, Kit, Gidget, and Ivy. Rosa is the oldest at almost 14 years and Ivy is the youngest at just 1-1/2 years old.