Meet Our Otters

Kit

Kit was found stranded in Morro Bay in January 2010, at five weeks old. The young otter was crying and trying to climb on adult females. At that point she was rescued by a California Department of Fish and Game biologist. Once at the Aquarium Kit, named after a fictional character in John Steinbeck's The Wayward Bus, became the youngest sea otter pup ever to go on exhibit.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has authorized the Aquarium to manage Kit in the sea otter exhibit, and she will not be released to the wild.

Kit's been learning a lot at the Aquarium, including critical otter skills like cracking clams and eating live crab without getting bitten. This is important, because one day, Kit may act as a surrogate and need to impart this knowledge to a pup of her own. Our three current surrogate otters are growing older.

Joy

In August 1998, rescuers found five-day-old Joy stranded on Twin Lakes Beach in Santa Cruz. After release, Joy interacted with kayakers and divers, which wasn't safe for them or for Joy, so we brought her back to the Aquarium. She spends most of her time behind-the-scenes with the SORAC program caring for stranded pups. Joy has reared 12 pups and is a playful and attentive mother.

Joy is our smallest otter and has a blond head. She's always willing to play and loves to perform for our guests. Joy's name comes from John Steinbeck's In Dubious Battle. She is 10 years old.

Mae

Mae was stranded at Corcoran Lagoon in Santa Cruz and rescued in April 2001, when she was two days old. Despite the efforts of staff and volunteers with our SORAC program, she did not develop the survival skills she'd need in the wild, and joined the exhibit in December 2001.

Mae has a dark brown face with no freckles and white whiskers. She frequently holds toys with her tail and can be seen sucking her paw when she falls asleep. Her name—selected in an online poll—comes from John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. It was the name of a truck-stop waitress with a screeching voice. She is eight years old.

Rosa

Rosa was found stranded in September 1999 near Sunset and Manressa State Beaches in southern Santa Cruz County. She was about four weeks old and weighed just over five pounds. She was released in April 2000 and spent nearly two years in the wild until she began climbing onto occupied kayaks and interacting with divers. Because of the potential risks to herself and people, federal wildlife officials determined that she should be removed from the wild. She joined our Sea Otter exhibit in June 2002. Rosa is a surrogate mother and has reared five rescued pups.

Rosa is our largest otter and has white speckles on her face. She wears one greenish-yellow flipper tag. After a feeding, you can often see her stashing "leftovers" on the deck until she's hungry for more. She's named after a girlfriend of Danny, the main character in John Steinbeck's Tortilla Flats—the first of his Cannery Row novels. She is nine years old.

Maggie

Maggie was found stranded on a beach in San Simeon State Park in February 2001, at one week of age. Staff released Maggie into the wild in October 2001, but recaptured her in February 2003 after reports about her interacting with divers, surfers and kayakers. Federal officials agreed with Aquarium staff that Maggie should be removed from the wild to prevent injury to herself and to people. In April 2010, after a long and successful stay at the Aquarium, Maggie was moved to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, to make room for other otters at our facility.

Otter 502

Otter 502 was found stranded on Morro Strand State Beach in June 2010. She was picked up by staff from the California Department of Fish and Game and the Marine Mammal Center, and transported to the Aquarium. In July 2010 she became the second rescued sea otter pup ever to go on exhibit at the Aquarium, at just 16 weeks old. Twelve-year old Joy was introduced as her companion animal, helping ensure that 502 learned essential otter skills like foraging, grooming, diving and cracking clams. 502 is now at her permanent home at the Georgia Aquarium.

Otter 572

Otter 572 was rescued on January 5, 2012 in Cayucos (San Luis Obispo County) by staff with the Marine Mammal Center. That same day, they transferred care of the pup to our Sea Otter Research and Conservation program as pup 572, which means he's the 572nd sea otter to be admitted.

During the pup's first exam we found a small laceration on his right shoulder, which suggests his mother was bitten by a white shark while this pup was on her chest. If that's true, he's the seventh stranded pup to come to us under similar circumstances in the past two years. The pup is currently being raised by Joy, and went on exhibit on Valentine's Day. He's the fourth pup we'll raise on exhibit, and the third who will eventually find a new home at another aquarium as an ambassador for wild sea otters. For now he'll keep his number and will eventually get a name from his new caretakers.

Toola

Remembering Toola
Toola was found stranded on Pismo Beach in the summer of 2001. She suffered from a seizure disorder that required daily medication and remained at the Aquarium until her death on March 3, 2012, of natural causes and infirmities of age. She was approximately 15 years old.

A visitor favorite on exhibit, Toola also played a vital role in the Aquarium's Sea Otter Research and Conservation program. She was the first otter ever to serve as a surrogate mother for stranded pups and raised 13 pups over the years.

"Toola was without question the most important animal in the history of our program," said Andrew Johnson, manager of the aquarium's Sea Otter Research and Conservation program. "She showed us that exhibit otters could successfully raise orphaned pups for return to the wild. She inspired a critical piece of legislation that is helping protect sea otters. And she inspired millions of visitors to care more about sea otters. We will miss her."
Learn more on our Tumblr blog