Education and ‘Awws' Fill Sea Otter Awareness Week

LET'S FACE FURRY FACTS: Even if you've never said the word "aww" in your life at the sight of something sweet, or squealed with delight, or covered your face because you can't handle one more second of cuteness, you inherently understand what everyone gets: Otters are otterly adorable. How otterly adorable? Well, for one, a person can be inspired to write the word "otterly" at the merest thought of the ocean-loving mammals. They're ultra-furry, they comically somersault, twist, and tumble in the waves, and how they carry their babies upon their tummies could melt even the hardest of hearts. But beyond these otterly obvious qualities, this truth remains: Caring for otters, animals that have faced extreme moments of possible extinction in the all-too-recent past, is an important part of the furry fandom.

SEA OTTER AWARENESS WEEK... swims along each September to remind us of the awesomeness of otterdom, and how we humans can help these land-sea superstars to thrive. As always, the Monterey Bay Aquarium will be one of the institutions at the furry forefront of the events, and they'll be sharing livestreams from Defenders of Wildlife during the special multi-day occasion. Oh, and those days? It's all getting cute-but-real from Sept. 19 through 25, 2021. You can also view a number of "enrichment" sessions straight from the aquarium, if you're interested in seeing how fast an otter can solve a puzzle or enjoy a toy. And isn't that all of us? For more on the aquarium's educational/aww-ful approach to this important week, paddle by the MBA site now.