Sea Otter Pups Need Names: Help the Shedd Aquarium Choose
The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is asking for the public’s help in naming two rescued southern sea otter pups. The pups were found on the coast of California in April, alone and without their mother. They were taken to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for initial care and then transferred to the Shedd Aquarium’s nursery, where they are now thriving.
Naming Contest
The Shedd Aquarium is hosting a naming contest to choose names for the pups that reflect their California heritage. The five name options, all of which reference locations on the California coast where southern sea otters make their home, are:
- Cooper (for Cupertino)
- Watson (for the town of Watsonville, near Monterey)
- Bennett (for Point Bennett on San Miguel Island)
- Simon (for Simonton Cove on San Miguel Island)
- Obi (for San Luis Obispo)
Voting for the names is open to the public until September 28th. The winning names will be announced on September 30th, when the pups will begin their transition from the nursery to the Shedd’s Regenstein Sea Otter Habitat.
Conservation Importance
The naming contest coincides with “Sea Otter Awareness Week,” and the Shedd Aquarium hopes to spark the public’s interest in sea otter conservation. Sea otters are keystone species, meaning they have an outsize effect on their environment relative to their numbers. They are important predators of sea urchins, which in turn helps to protect kelp forests. Kelp forests provide food and shelter for a variety of marine animals and also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making them important for the health of the planet.
Southern sea otters were once hunted to the brink of extinction for their valuable fur. In 1911, a treaty was signed that imposed a moratorium on sea otter harvesting. However, southern sea otters are still listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to ongoing threats such as oil spills, entanglement in fishing gear, and habitat loss.
Orphaned Sea Otters
Orphaned sea otters like pups 870 and 872 can play an important role in conservation efforts. They can be paired with surrogate mothers and released into degraded coastal ecosystems, where they can help to restore the balance of the ecosystem.
Pups 870 and 872, however, will serve a different purpose. The Shedd Aquarium hopes that they will become “ambassadors for their species,” helping to raise awareness about the continued need for protection for southern sea otters. The webpage for the naming contest includes a link to a petition in support of the Endangered Species Act, which is facing challenges from the current administration.
Protecting Sea Otters
The Endangered Species Act has been instrumental in protecting sea otters and other endangered species. It is important to make our voices heard with elected officials to ensure that the ESA remains strong and continues to protect species like sea otters for generations to come.
By participating in the naming contest and supporting the Endangered Species Act, you can help to ensure the continued survival of southern sea otters and the health of our oceans.