Behind the Scenes of Vancouver Aquarium’s Adorable Sea Otter Encounter
If you thought sea otters were cute before, just wait until you hear them squeak! At the Vancouver Aquarium, visitors now have the chance to experience these fluffy marine mammals up close through the Sea Otter Encounter program. And trust me, it’s an experience you won’t forget.
Sea otters are, quite literally, the fluffiest mammals on the planet. “That beautiful fur coat? You’re looking at about a million hairs per square inch,” says Tessa, a marine mammal trainer at the aquarium. This dense fur is what keeps them warm in the chilly Pacific waters, and it’s also why they were once hunted nearly to extinction. By 1929, sea otters had completely disappeared from British Columbia’s waters. Thankfully, conservation efforts, including relocations from Alaska, have helped their numbers rebound. But some otters, like the aquarium’s newest residents, Luna and Tofino, were abandoned as pups and couldn’t survive in the wild.
Taking care of a baby sea otter is no easy task. In the wild, they stay with their mothers for about a year, learning essential survival skills. When orphaned otters arrive at the aquarium’s rescue center, trainers take on the role of mom—feeding them, teaching them, and ultimately providing them a permanent home when they become too habituated to humans to return to the ocean.
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During the Sea Otter Encounter, visitors get a behind-the-scenes look at how these animals are cared for. The experience starts in the underground prep area, where trainers keep the otters’ food and toys. And when it comes to food, these little guys don’t hold back. “Otters have an insane metabolism,” Tessa explains. “They eat about 20 to 30 percent of their body weight daily.” To put that into perspective, the aquarium’s biggest otter, Joey, consumes over 7 kilograms of seafood every single day!
The real magic happens when it’s time for play. Otters are highly intelligent and need constant mental stimulation, so trainers provide plenty of toys—everything from frozen treats to puzzle balls stuffed with shrimp. These otters are also among the few animals that consistently use tools, often using rocks to crack open shellfish or wrapping themselves in kelp to keep from drifting away. Watching them interact with their environment is both fascinating and heart-melting.
One of the most unexpected (and adorable) parts of the encounter? Handholding. Some otters, like Quatse, have learned that sticking their tiny paws through the enclosure’s holes in exchange for a clam gets them some extra human interaction. And if you’re lucky, you might just get a moment to feel their soft, dexterous forepaws.
It’s clear that the team at the Vancouver Aquarium is dedicated to giving these animals the best possible life while educating the public on their importance. As keystone species, sea otters play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems. By keeping sea urchin populations in check, they help preserve kelp forests, which provide food, shelter, and oxygen for countless marine creatures.
By the end of the visit, it’s hard not to feel a special connection with these playful, curious creatures. And if Luna and Tofino’s squeaky meeps as we walked away were anything to go by, maybe they felt the same way too—though, let’s be real, they were probably just hoping for another clam.
If you ever get the chance, don’t miss this experience. It’s an unforgettable glimpse into the world of some of nature’s most charming animals, and it’s all happening right here in Vancouver.
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