ST ALASKAN SEA OTTERS WHO’LL MELT HEARTS
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ers we s to he me ous laws with endangered species, and working out how to transport them was challenging.
“The guys that rescued them set a time of 18 hours from port to port to get the otters here.
Escort
“It took private planes – they were in a specially designed crate they could see out of and they ate better than the staff on the plane!
“Then they were driven here from
Heathrow with a police escort.” There are about 100,000 to 150,000 sea otters left in the wild, making them an endangered species.
They are at risk from change, loss of habitat and tangled in plastic waste.
But in the early 1900s they were close to extinction, having been hunted for their pelts. Then in 1911 four countries, including Britain, signed a deal to protect otters and seals.
Birmingham SEA LIFE hope that by climate getting bringing Ozzy and Ola to the aquarium, visitors will be encouraged to think about their own impact on the environment, such as their use of plastic bottles, food packaging, straws and cups.
And they have been a real hit with visitors so far, thanks to their playful personalities.
Otterologist Faye Lane, who trains the creatures, runs feeding sessions five times a day.
“They have really fast metabolisms, because they are the only marine animals without blubber, which means they have to insulate their own fur,” she says.
“Ozzy and Ola can get through around 25% of their body weight – about 22lb – in food every day.”
Their clams are brought from France and – as their bites have the same strength as a black bear – they can crunch through them without any problems.
Faye and the other trainers keep the pair occupied using “enrichment”, a technique which stimulates them into behaving as they would in the wild.
“We mix it up so they don’t get bored,” says Faye.
Intelligent
“It’s like with a small child, if they play with a toy too much they will get bored.
“We put on treasure hunts for them with food hidden inside things, and we also give them crushed ice which they love rolling around in.
“Ozzy and Ola are very intelligent and they always like to be exploring and doing things with their paws.”
The pair are not going
■ CAREFUL: Alaskan sea otters have a bite as strong as a black bear to be a breeding couple but the adorable otters are the best of friends, often play-fighting with each other and even “spooning” each other when they go to sleep.
Ozzy is more introverted, and likes to spend longer periods on his own. “He’s also very vain,” laughs Jonny. “He’s always grooming himself and making sure he looks good.” “Ola, the female, was very young when she was found so she’s more used to humans,” adds Faye.
“She likes to be where we are, and likes watching the visitors through the glass.”
Sea otters can live for up to 25 years, so it’s hoped they will be a popular fixture at SEA LIFE – and even go on to stimulate more research into the rare species through university groups visiting the aquarium. “Looking after them is amazing, as we’ve never had anything like this before,” adds Faye. “They are so engaging. When they are making eye contact with you, you can really feel it. “We hope they will inspire people to go on to look after the oceans, and make changes in their lives to help sea otters.”
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TRANSPORT PLAN: Sea Life’s Jonny Rudd