The Seattle Aquarium is thrilled to welcome our newest sea otter Ruby! Ruby joins us from Monterey Bay Aquarium and will be the first southern sea otter in our care.
“We are so excited for everyone to meet Ruby,” Veronica Seawall, Curator of Birds and Mammals, says. “We’ve been working very closely with the team at Monterey Bay Aquarium for several months to ensure her move to Seattle is a smooth transition. We feel that living with Mishka and Sekiu will be a perfect fit for her.”
Photo © Monterey Bay Aquarium
For over 30 years, the Seattle Aquarium has led in sea otter research, contributed to recovery efforts and cared for northern sea otters who are unable to live in the wild. Ruby’s arrival represents the Aquarium’s continuing commitment to sustaining and recovering sea otters, from California to Alaska and beyond.
From Monterey to Seattle: A True West Coaster
Ruby was stranded and rescued as a 1-day-old pup weighing just 1.9 pounds—she was one of the smallest sea otters her rescuers had ever seen. She then grew up in the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s surrogacy program and, despite several attempts to live on her own, she was ultimately deemed non-releasable due to her dependency on humans for food.
Now, in Seattle, she’ll be joining northern sea otters Mishka and Sekiu as her raftmates.
“Ruby will be a little smaller than Mishka and Sekiu,” Seawall explains. “She’s currently around 45 pounds, whereas Mishka and Sekiu weigh between 50 and 53 pounds because northern sea otters tend to be larger on average. Northern sea otters are found in the north, ranging from Washington state to British Columbia and Alaska, whereas southern sea otters are found in California. But despite these differences, northern and southern sea otters happily cohabitate in zoos and aquariums as their care needs are the same!”
Photo © Monterey Bay Aquarium
You can visit Ruby, Mishka, Sekiu, and so many other mammals, birds, and fish at the Seattle Aquarium every day from 9:30am–6pm.
About the Seattle Aquarium:
Founded in 1977, the Seattle Aquarium is a marine conservation organization working to regenerate the health of Earth’s one ocean. We work among global leaders to advance animal wellbeing, marine and ecosystem science, public policy, field conservation, education, and species recovery programs that benefit the ocean. Help support the Aquarium’s mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment.
On the web: SeattleAquarium.org
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