Mr. D

Need I describe why he's the cutest and best African Spotted Neck in the world?..

Shani-Baby!

Our baby's all grown-up!

I swear, if they could squeeze their little heads through the feeding holes in the acrylic, the girls would've figured out how to do it! Love how interactive each girl is with us.

Gotta love their innate playfulness...

Toola, our Goldilocks!



Mae and Toola... Good morning!



Mae the Monkey-Otter and her ice horde this morning, just chillin' in holding...

The girls spent the morning playing on exhibit, and in holding.

What's yours is mine...

Or rather, Maggie's whole mantra would be, "What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine, too."
And the other girls let her get away with it, for the most part. Joy, our smallest otter, will actually hold her own against Maggie, when she cares. The others tend to just give up, and let Maggie have whatever she wants.


This photo captures a classic Mae/Maggie moment -- Mae bobbing up and down in the water, periscoping, with a rather watchful look on her face. Maggie's going at the string of toys, putting her powerful gnashers to good work! Gotta love that expression of deep determination! Must feel good to bite down on something with all of one's might.

Otter Chalk-Daydreams

Mae enjoyed sniffing out the latest decorations in the behind-the-scenes holding pool, just off of the main exhibit. Our intern, Holly, drew a happy-colored scene of rainbows, nudibranchs, jellyfish, and other fun sea creatures. Mae ended up with a pastel-colored nose.

Mae Day

She's hilarious. She's cute. And when she's in a mood, she sticks her tongue out, and it makes me want to squeeze her.

Never mind the fact that she'd probably take my nose off for it -- Mae is my favorite sea otter, on most days.

I love that she's afraid of her own shadow (and those big, scary fish that like to hang out beneath her during feeding and training sessions, for scraps of food that she pushes off her tummy-table, as she sorts through for her favorite pieces of yumminess). I love that she is the laziest about her personal grooming, of any of our girls. Note the slick spots on her side?

Mae knows more behaviors than any of the other sea otters we have on exhibit, and is quick to pick up on new ones. She seems to enjoy ice the most, and her signature move is tucking things -- a toy, a second piece of ice, etc., curled up with her tail, like a monkey.

Mae the Monkey-Otter.


Classic Mae, sticking her tongue out.

Mae, enjoying a bounty of patriotic-themed ice for the 4th... Notice her sleek coat.

Denny, a case study in cute.

This morning started off well, even if it was a bit sunnier and warmer than I like.

Kat brought me my morning no-water chai. Volunteers were chipper and cheerful.

And Denny was waiting for me, when I checked in to see about getting started on his standing morning room service call.

With his greying hair, blinky-sleepy eyes, and laidback personality, is it any wonder he's my favorite river otter? I think not.

But don't let me be the judge...