Meet Our Otters

Kit

Kit was found stranded in Morro Bay in January 2010, at five weeks old. The young otter was crying and trying to climb on adult females. At that point she was rescued by a California Department of Fish and Game biologist. Once at the Aquarium Kit, named after a fictional character in John Steinbeck's The Wayward Bus, became the youngest sea otter pup ever to go on exhibit.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service authorized the Aquarium to manage Kit as an exhibit animal, and she will not be released to the wild. It’s hoped that Kit may become a surrogate mother, which could result in more stranded pups being reared at the Aquarium and released to the wild, adding to that critically dwindling population and becoming part of SORAC’s long-term study of surrogate-reared pups.

Joy

In August 1998, rescuers found five-day-old Joy stranded on Twin Lakes Beach in Santa Cruz. After release, Joy interacted with kayakers and divers, which wasn't safe for them or for Joy, so we brought her back to the Aquarium. She spends most of her time behind-the-scenes with the SORAC program caring for stranded pups. Joy has reared 12 pups and is a playful and attentive mother.

Joy is our smallest otter and has a blond head. She's always willing to play and loves to perform for our guests. Joy's name comes from John Steinbeck's In Dubious Battle. She is 10 years old.

Mae

Mae was stranded at Corcoran Lagoon in Santa Cruz and rescued in April 2001, when she was two days old. Despite the efforts of staff and volunteers with our SORAC program, she did not develop the survival skills she'd need in the wild, and joined the exhibit in December 2001.

Mae has a dark brown face with no freckles and white whiskers. She frequently holds toys with her tail and can be seen sucking her paw when she falls asleep. Her name—selected in an online poll—comes from John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. It was the name of a truck-stop waitress with a screeching voice. She is eight years old.

Maggie

Maggie was found stranded on a beach in San Simeon State Park in February 2001. She was about one week old and weighed just over three pounds. Aquarium staff released Maggie into the wild in October 2001, but recaptured her in February 2003, after receiving several reports about her interacting with divers, surfers and kayakers. Federal officials agreed with Aquarium staff that Maggie should be removed from the wild to prevent injury to herself and to people.

Maggie has a dark brown face with freckles on her muzzle. Sometimes she steals food and toys from the other otters and you can often see her swimming through the tunnels. Her name is derived from "Margie," a fortuneteller in John Steinbeck's novel, The Winter of Our Discontent. She is eight years old.

Rosa

Rosa was found stranded in September 1999 near Sunset and Manressa State Beaches in southern Santa Cruz County. She was about four weeks old and weighed just over five pounds. She was released in April 2000 and spent nearly two years in the wild until she began climbing onto occupied kayaks and interacting with divers. Because of the potential risks to herself and people, federal wildlife officials determined that she should be removed from the wild. She joined our Sea Otter exhibit in June 2002. Rosa is a surrogate mother and has reared five rescued pups.

Rosa is our largest otter and has white speckles on her face. She wears one greenish-yellow flipper tag. After a feeding, you can often see her stashing "leftovers" on the deck until she's hungry for more. She's named after a girlfriend of Danny, the main character in John Steinbeck's Tortilla Flats—the first of his Cannery Row novels. She is nine years old.

Toola

Toola was found stranded on Pismo Beach in the summer of 2001, and diagnosed with a seizure disorder. She needs daily medication to remain seizure-free. When she's not on exhibit, Toola plays a vital role behind the scenes as a companion, mentor and surrogate mother for rescued pups; so far she's reared 10.

Toola brings a calm presence to the ever-changing social structure of the exhibit. To identify her, look for the light blonde fur on her head and muzzle and two blue flipper tags. She likes to "periscope" her head above the water with her mouth open. She's nicknamed after an obscure character in the Steinbeck novel Sweet Thursday. Toola is estimated to be between 11 and 13 years old.