Meet the river otters at San Francisco aquarium’s new exhibit
Three North America river otters have turned up in San Francisco, but not in the bay. Shasta, Tubbs and Wildcat swim and slide through a new exhibit called “Otters: Watershed Ambassadors” that opened last month at the Aquarium of the Bay on Pier 39.
The otters, smaller and sleeker than their ocean counterparts, are named for Bay Area watersheds. Why? Because the aquarium wants visitors smitten with the adorable otters and their playful demeanor to care about their habitat too.
“The protection and conservation of the watershed is crucial, and this new exhibit gives us the perfect opportunity to engage our guests and share this message with them,” said John Frawley, president and chief executive of Aquarium of the Bay and The Bay Institute.
The $1.3-million expansion that opened June 28 includes habitat with dry land and freshwater pools filled with minnows and crayfish. River otters live throughout California in riparian and coastal areas. A wild one appeared in January at the former Sutro Baths in San Francisco, the first such sighting in the city in decades.
Visitors can see the otters daily (the aquarium closes only on Christmas Day). Tickets cost $21.95 for adults and $12.95 for children 4 to 12 years old.
Information: Aquarium of the Bay
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