Rescued Otters in Need of Names at Shedd Aquarium

For one week only, Shedd Aquarium is hosting a vote to help give Otters 926 and 929 names as they join the rescued sea otter population on exhibit in the Abbott Oceanarium. While the animal care team that oversees their health and welfare votes internally for a name for Otter 926, the aquarium will host a digital vote to name Otter 929 for the public to continue to build affinity and understanding around sea otters.

The nine-month-old pair, both females, were discovered separately on the coast of California with no mother or adult otters in sight at just a couple weeks old and rescued by Monterey Bay Aquarium. Currently referred to by their intake numbers, 926 and 929 were cared for at the Aquarium of the Pacific for months.

Since their arrival at Shedd, the juveniles have been living behind the scenes acclimating to their new caretakers, the other otters and new surroundings. Now, both otters have been introduced to the otter habitat and can occasionally be seen by guests that visit the aquarium. As with all sea otters at the aquarium, the newest additions will still have access to behind-the-scenes spaces as well.

Shedd Aquarium’s animal care staff prepared a short list of names for the public to choose from, and all the names correspond to a location along the coast of California where sea otters can be found. This helps the aquarium make a connection with guests to their native habitat and explain why sea otters are a vital part of the marine ecosystem. The names for consideration are:

• Jade: named after Jade Cove located in the southern area of Big Sur in California
• Sunny: named after Sunset Beach next to Asilomar Beach in California
• Willow: named after Willow Creek Picnic Area and Beach in Monterey County, California

The public can vote as many times as they’d like using this poll starting today. Voting will close on Monday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. Shedd Aquarium plans to announce the names for Otters 926 and 929 on Nov. 1. Stay tuned on Shedd’s social media accounts for updates, as well as other otter content.

VISUALS: New high-resolution photos of the otters are available here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8e6d678a5c6472b4b36b.
Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez 

Arrival photos and video can be found here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8e6d67875f636dbb6ea7.

Video Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Gavin Wright and Sam Cejtin
Photo Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez