Otterly adorable

their fur, once highly prized for Siberian coats, the otter population has made a serious comeback largely because of the aquarium’s groundbreaking rescue operation. The first of its kind, the program has saved 800 pups since 1984. There are now almost 3,186 otters in the wild, and at least half of the otters that congregate at Monterey’s Elkhorn Slough are direct descendants of this program.

While some female otters aren’t interested in child-rearing, others instantly bond with a new baby in their midst. They teach them how to swim and dive and open clams. They even give the little fur babies a ride on their stomachs, otter Uber style. A group of otters, entwined as they surf the waves, is called a raft.

The otters here are either on exhibit, scampering about for the public, or in the background teaching rescued pups how to survive in the wild. Otter pups must be raised for at least a year, before heading out to the deep blue sea on their own.

On this behind-the-scenes tour, you’ll become acquainted with otters like Rosa, a single parent trying to rear a new pup found stranded on the beach, wounded and alone; he was orphaned by a shark attack. Now dubbed Otter 808, he is a feisty little guy, healing nicely and learning the ropes of kelp life from his surrogate mom.

For the record, you are not allowed to stroke their rich, velvety fur or feed them treats at any point in the tour, which my 7-year-old found quite crushing. But you get to check out their private rooftop habitats through video monitors.

Afterward, you can wander through the rest of the aquarium’s illuminating ocean exhibits, from the heart-pounding fun of the Wave Crash gallery, which pumps 600 gallons of water every 30 seconds, to the dapper little penguins toddling about.

Before you leave this mesmerizing window to marine life, be sure to spend some time on the back deck, where the sheltered waters of the aquarium meet the open ocean.

Every once in a while, you may even see a wild otter mother giving birth to her young pup atop one of the rocky outcroppings. It’s a showstopper even for a casual observer. If you are an otter lover, it’s unforgettable.