Earlier this year , the Monterey Bay Aquarium found two male baby otters — just weeks honest-to-goodness — on the coast of California with no adult ocean otters in vision . Now both 5 month one-time , the ocean otter pup are check how to forage , dive , and curry themselves in the Regenstein Pup Nursery at Chicago ’s Shedd Aquarium .
They ’re known as Pup 870 and Pup 872 , but the marine museum isaskingfor your help in re - baptise the loveable creatures with cuter names . Perhaps wary of terminate up with otter named Otty McOtterface , John Cena , or somethingworse , the creature attention staff create a myopic lean of gens to choose from , which all colligate to the sea otters ’ native California home ground .
The options are Cooper ( after Cupertino , California ) , Watson ( after Watsonville , California ) , Obi ( short for San Luis Obispo , California ) , Bennett , or Simon ( after San Miguel Island ’s Point Bennett and Simonton Cove , severally ) .
You canvote hereas many time as you ’d like between now and September 28 , and the winning name will be declare the following Monday , September 30 . At that point , the sea otter puppy will start their gradual conversion from the baby’s room to the Regenstein Sea Otter Habitat , where visitor will have a hazard to see them .
The assignment contest is part of Shedd Aquarium ’s notice of Sea Otter Awareness Week this workweek , which aims to educate the populace about otter ’ role in the marine ecosystem and boost us to protect the species .
“ Sea otters are around today because enough people came together and demand trade protection like the Endangered Species Act , ” Peggy Sloan , Shedd ’s chief animal officeholder , enunciate in apress release . “ The adept way we can assure the continued survival of coinage like ocean otter is by making your voices heard with elect officials , letting them know that you oppose the weakening of any kind on protections like the ESA . ”
While you ’re hold back to find out which names come out on top , lionise Sea Otter Awareness Week with some otterfacts .
[ h / tShedd Aquarium ]
