What to Know
- Help Monterey Bay Aquarium name its newest resident otter
- The 24-hour poll opens Wednesday, March 26 at noon Pacific time
- Pick from one of three choices: Hazel, Opal, and Quinn
- Discovered as a stranded three-week-old pup near San Luis Obispo in 2024, the otter was "... deemed unreleasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service"
- The animal has been living off-view at the aquarium as keepers work toward her rehabilitation; she is expected to join the "resident raft" in the weeks ahead
- Giving otters distinctive names is helpful for training purposes
ADMIRING THE OTTERS... seen around Morro Bay, Monterey Bay, and otter-attracting places along the coast is a time-honored, tender-hearted tradition for otter-obsessed Californians and visitors who are eager to behold these mussel-chomping, back-floating superstars. But knowing how to address the otters you're viewing from the shore? There's no need, for otters go on their mussel-chomping way and we humans go on ours. Still, otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium do receive names, all to help training go smoothly, and the newest cutie to join the aquarium's rollicking raft will need a distinctive moniker.
NOW HERE IS WHERE... we landlubbers come in: The famous aquarium is asking otter aficionados and everyone who loves the ocean (so allll of us, yep) to weigh in on the animal's name. A naming poll opens at noon March 26, and you'll have 24 hours to decide if you like Hazel, Opal, or Quinn better. Hazel was selected for its wise associations, Opal for its iridescent oomph, and Quinn because of the name's powerful, large-and-in-charge moxie (the otter is said to have sassy proclivities). Perhaps knowing a bit about the raft's newest member and her story will help you make your choice. Found as a stranded pup on the Central Coast in 2024 and "and deemed unreleasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service," the rescued otter has lived off-view at the aquarium, allowing keepers to see to her care and rehabilitation.
THIS SOON-TO-BE-NAMED OTTER... isn't yet part of the popular habitat, but you can check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Otter Cam for inspiration. When will Hazel, or Opal, or Queen make her anticipated debut? Keep a paw pointed at the aquarium's social pages for otterly exciting updates.
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