Babies! Now Open at Aquarium of the Pacific
In my opinion there’s only one thing cuter than sea otters…baby sea otters! These furry creatures are utterly delightful and as babies they’re so lovable that just seeing them makes me squee in delight. Recently, I was lucky enough to spend time watching their adorable antics at Aquarium of the Pacific as they’re part of the new exhibition, Babies!
Featuring over a dozen exhibits spread throughout the aquarium Babies! is a celebration of our youngest sea creatures. With a particular emphasis on endangered species the exhibition introduces the visitor to the plight of these vulnerable creatures and Aquarium of the Pacific’s role in their conservation.
One such star of the exhibition is Sally, a juvenile desert tortoise. Sally is 5 years old and at 5 inches in diameter is about one third of her adult size as desert tortoises can live to over 50 years. Sadly, they are critically endangered as their numbers have decreased by 90%. Sally is one lively tortoise and loves walking around her enclosure eating treats and meeting people and is the perfect ambassador for these special creatures.
Maybe not quite as cute as Sally but definitely just as interesting are the aquarium’s juvenile bamboo and epaulette sharks. Not only can you see a bunch of these baby predators but you can also see their eggs and learn about the aquarium’s role in the breeding and preservation of the species.
Then there’s the sea otter. I already admitted it’s my favorite sea creature and a true highlight of the exhibition is three sea otter pups. Found orphaned off the central coast these cuties have relocated to the aquarium through a partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s Sea Otter Surrogacy program. Millie and Betty, two current aquarium residents have adopted the pups and are teaching them the ins and outs of being a sea otter.
It’s so heartwarming the watch the girls take the pups under their wings and treat them as their own and I spent a great deal of time enjoying their antics. The pups are unable to survive in the wild and only time will tell where their permanent residence will be. Now is the perfect time to see them up close and I highly recommend paying them a visit.
In fact, I highly recommend paying the entire Babies! exhibition a visit. In addition to the tortoise, sharks and sea otters there are several other fascinating creatures to view including clownfish, cuttlefish and jellyfish. And today, the aquarium announced the arrival of a new baby penguin. Although too young to join the exhibition you will be able sneak a peek via a live webcam. There’s always something new to see at Aquarium of the Pacific and, with the addition of Babies!, this summer will be the perfect time to stop by.