Kids In Vancouver: Visit The New Otter Pups At The Aquarium

Vancouver visitors love to ogle the Vancouver Aquarium’s resident sea otters as they splash and dive in their centrally-located outdoor habitat. People just can’t seem to resist their adorably fluffy faces and perky demeanour. Over the years, visitors have gotten to know the personalities of each of the four sea otters who currently reside at the Vancouver Aquarium – one of North America’s leading facilities in sea otter care.

On November 1, 2016, the Vancouver Aquarium welcomed two new sea otter pups to their friendly brood of rescues, and the new residents have had quite the journey from their birthplace in Alaska. Learn more about why they’ve made the move, and chime in with your ideas on what the aquarium should name their new friends!

The male and female otter pups were both rescued in Alaska earlier this year, and placed in the Alaska SeaLife Center’s I.Sea.U, where they received round-the-clock care. Because they were found at such a young age (now only 8 and 9 months old), the pups were not equipped with the necessary survival skills to survive in the wild on their own. Deemed non-releasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the pups were transported to the Vancouver Aquarium to receive long-term care for their needs.

Initially, the two new otter pups will be housed in the Finning Pool, and will be slowly integrated into the group over the next few months. Gradually, they will meet Elfin (a 15-year-old male), Tanu (a 12-year-old female), Katmai (a 4-year-old female), and Rialto (a fairly new otter who arrived in September of 2016).

The new otter pup pair have yet to be named, and the Vancouver Aquarium is asking the public to vote for two winning names. You can vote for your favourite name for a chance to meet the new baby sea otters here: You Otter Name Them!

Visit the Vancouver Aquarium to learn about the new sea otter pups in person by attending one of the regularly-scheduled Sea Otter Talks, or watch the pair as they adjust to their new habitat on the 24-hour live webcam.

Vancouver Aquarium
Open daily, 10am – 5pm
Phone: 604-659-3400
Website