Rosa the sea otter has died at 24. She was notable for her age and raising of various otter pups, and was one of the more well-known animals at the Aquarium.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium News
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SeaOtterHQ
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This weekend (August 24th + 25th) the streamer DougDoug will host his annual fundraising stream for the Monterey Bay Aquarium celebrating the life of Rosa the sea otter.
https://www.dougdoug.com/celebratingrosaslife
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/stories/dougdoug-celebrate-rosa-sea-otter-birthday
Last year his Rosa livestream raised over $300,000 for the aquarium and this year his fans are aiming to raise over $1,000,000 (!!!) in Rosa's memory. I confess I don't watch his content regularly, but his Rosa streams are adorable:
Piece of May 2024 News Worth Mentioning:
On May 29th, it was announced that the aquarium transferred a (0.1) southern sea otter to SeaWorld San Diego in California.
SeaWorld San Diego
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On August 19th, the aquarium announced that 2 tufted puffins hatched which are on exhibit.
12K views · 730 reactions | We’re egg-cited to welcome the newest additions to our tufted puffin colony! These two fluffy puffin chicks (a.k.a. pufflings!) recently hatched here as part of a Species Survival Plan managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This plan oversees the health and breeding of nearly 200 tufted puffins across 15 zoos and aquariums. These adorable, fuzzy voids will grow up on exhibit, assisted by our un-beak-lievably awesome aviculture and veterinary teams. For a limited time, you can come take a peek at these precious pufflings among the diving birds in our Open Sea exhibit. It might be a little hard to spot them inside their burrows and soon, they’ll be heading behind the scenes. But don’t worry! They’ll be back on exhibit once they’re fully fledged. | Monterey Bay Aquarium | Monterey Bay Aquarium · Original audio
On May 29th, it was announced that the aquarium transferred a (0.1) southern sea otter to SeaWorld San Diego in California.
SeaWorld San Diego
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On August 19th, the aquarium announced that 2 tufted puffins hatched which are on exhibit.
12K views · 730 reactions | We’re egg-cited to welcome the newest additions to our tufted puffin colony! These two fluffy puffin chicks (a.k.a. pufflings!) recently hatched here as part of a Species Survival Plan managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This plan oversees the health and breeding of nearly 200 tufted puffins across 15 zoos and aquariums. These adorable, fuzzy voids will grow up on exhibit, assisted by our un-beak-lievably awesome aviculture and veterinary teams. For a limited time, you can come take a peek at these precious pufflings among the diving birds in our Open Sea exhibit. It might be a little hard to spot them inside their burrows and soon, they’ll be heading behind the scenes. But don’t worry! They’ll be back on exhibit once they’re fully fledged. | Monterey Bay Aquarium | Monterey Bay Aquarium · Original audio
SeaOtterHQ
Well-Known Member
Forgot to update this, but the DougDoug community successfully raised $625,376.68 during their Rosa charity stream this year, bringing their combined total over the last few years to $1,032,202.26 raised on behalf of Rosa the sea otter and the Monterey Bay Aquarium:
Tiltify - Made for Fundraisers
Out of curiosity, is this the most money ever raised during a charity stream/event for a single animal? Or for any animal-related cause? I can't find much data on the topic, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a record.
Tiltify - Made for Fundraisers
Out of curiosity, is this the most money ever raised during a charity stream/event for a single animal? Or for any animal-related cause? I can't find much data on the topic, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a record.
Long time Aquarium Director, Julie Packard, announced her intentions to retire this year after 40 years. She has been the only director since the Aquarium opened in 1984
Monterey Bay Aquarium Director Julie Packard to Retire
Monterey Bay Aquarium Director Julie Packard to Retire
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
One of the first non-'Into the Deep' species moves in a while, Cigar Comb Jellies (Beroe forskalii) are currently on exhibit in the Jelly Gallery portion of 'Open Sea' gallery (via a variety of social media posts people have made). I'm not sure which species they replaced however.
(It sounds like the species on exhibit that's found in Monterey Bay is currently being re-described as scientists suspect it's a new species via a Jelly researcher on iNat, will be fun to follow up on this)
(It sounds like the species on exhibit that's found in Monterey Bay is currently being re-described as scientists suspect it's a new species via a Jelly researcher on iNat, will be fun to follow up on this)
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
Another species move in the Jelly Gallery portion of the 'Open Sea', there are some Black Sea Nettles (Chrysaora achlyos) on exhibit right now (via someone in the MBA discord who visited today). They're mixed with the Purple Stripe Sea Nettles it looks like, which is something the aquarium usually does but haven't done in quite a while so that's a cool species to see again
(Image via "sippy!" in the MBA discord from today)
(Image via "sippy!" in the MBA discord from today)
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Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
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From what I can gather through various social media posts, it looks like:
- The Cigar Comb Jellies have replaced the California Sea Gooseberries (Hormiphora californensis) so they're in one of the big displays and it looks like there's between 7 to 9 of them.
- In return, the California Sea Gooseberries were moved to 'Into the Deep' and replaced the Common Siphonophores. The Sea Gooseberries are acting as a placeholder species.
- (Into the Deep news) Red Spot Comb Jellies (Eurhamphaea vexilligera) are back on exhibit
Well this hasn't gone in the Seafood Watch/ aquarium's favor with a judge now ruling the lobster industry has full rights to sue for defamation, denying the appeal from Seafood Watch to have it thrown out. Apparently the governor of Maine as well as their state congress have penned letters to the aquarium requesting the lobster listing be changed.
Maine Lobster Industry Can Sue Seafood Watchdog for Defamation, Judge Rules
This will be interesting. I suspect the "40%" drop in revenue the lobster association cited as a result of the Aquariums listing will be hard to prove. If the Aquarium is successful, it would be a huge boost to an already very successful program. This time, giving Seafood Watch some teeth.
Conversely if they lose, it could kill the program. It would give precedent for further lawsuits and not in the program's favor. They could lose a lot of money and reputation very quickly. Going to be very interesting to see how this subsequently plays out and I dare say there's a lot riding on it now.
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
Extremely exciting news: The Aquarium announced on their socials that in the coming weeks, a new Otter will permanently join the Aquarium's exhibit!
She was found as a stranded pup off San Luis Obispo (100 miles south of Monterey Bay) and been deemed non-releasable. She's spent the last year behind the scenes getting used to the Aquarium.
She doesn't have a name yet, as the Aquarium will let voters choose a name this Wednesday (March 26th). Choices are Opal, Hazel, and Quinn. This will bring the Aquarium's exhibit group back up to 4 since Rosa's passing
She was found as a stranded pup off San Luis Obispo (100 miles south of Monterey Bay) and been deemed non-releasable. She's spent the last year behind the scenes getting used to the Aquarium.
She doesn't have a name yet, as the Aquarium will let voters choose a name this Wednesday (March 26th). Choices are Opal, Hazel, and Quinn. This will bring the Aquarium's exhibit group back up to 4 since Rosa's passing
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
We asked, and you answered. ️Thanks to nearly 30,000 of you who voted in our online poll, we’re otter-ly excited to introduce our newest southern sea otter, Opal. Our team is already hard at work training Opal to join Ivy, Selka, and Ruby on exhibit. They describe Opal as smart, sassy, confident, and protective–an otter that watches out for her raft. We can hardly wait for you to meet this gem; stay tuned for updates on the timeline for her official debut! In addition to enchanting visitors and showing off for the exhibit live cam, Opal has a big part to play in the conservation of her species. Opal may act as a surrogate mother to orphaned sea otter pups as part of our sea otter surrogacy program. Though Opal was deemed unreleasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after she was rescued as a stranded pup, she may give young pups a second chance by teaching them the skills they need to survive in the wild, like grooming and foraging. Our work with sea otters has a real impact on their survival—and the vital coastal habitats they call home—as the two are inextricably linked. The sea otter is a keystone species, which means that the health of sea otters is a good indication of the health of other species and ecosystems nearby. By releasing their adoptive pups back into the wild, our sea otter surrogate moms help restore California’s treasured kelp forests, keeping them healthy and thriving! Float, swim, or wiggle over to the link in our bio to learn about the history of our Sea Otter Program and how protecting this beloved species has enormous environmental benefits for California’s coastal ecosystems. #TeamOpalHasTriumphed #OtterlyOpalescent #GemOfTheKelpForest #KeystoneQueen"
SeaOtterHQ
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Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
Via a variety of Facebook posts from visitors, it looks like the Purple Striped Nettles are currently off exhibit, and now it's solely Black Sea Nettles in that space (what looks like 4 or 5 instead of the previous 1). The pic attached shows 3 but I've definitely seen at least 4 in other posts
It also looks like Giant Bell Jellies are on exhibit as well, possibly replacing the Cigar Comb Jellies since I haven't seen anyone post those in a while but I'm not 100% sure.
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Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
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Monterey Bay Aquarium employees vote to unionize by small margin
This is something that's been going on for around a month now and with the California Academy of Science's CFO just resigning and their union just reaching an agreement with the Academy after over a year, this could be interesting to watch.
The union is under "AFSCME Council 57; "AFSCME wrote, "The workers are forming their union to advocate for fair pay, workplace flexibility, comprehensive benefits and better accessibility accommodations."
A Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesperson responded with a statement saying: "The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has announced the results of last month's secret ballot election, in which eligible staff voted on whether to form a union. The majority of those who voted supported the formation of Monterey Bay Aquarium Workers United (MBAWU), which will now represent all eligible staff. "Monterey Bay Aquarium looks forward to negotiating in good faith with MBAWU on behalf of its members. At this time, the Aquarium cannot speculate on what may or may not be included in the union contract. The Aquarium has always prioritized-and will continue to prioritize-the well-being of our staff, who play a central role in maintaining our position as a global leader in marine conservation and education."
Someone I know at the Aquarium who voted against unionizing has been very vocal about the topic. In all fairness, he is the manager of a department at the aquarium, so take his words as you will. But he was saying the union's points of fair pay, benefits, and flexibility have no leverage, since they're already much better than other institutions and really generous. Currently, from what he's saying, allegedly there's already discourse amongst the union since some of the members don't like what the union leaders are doing at the moment. Now this all is alleged since publicly, he's the only one speaking up about it.
But hopefully, this doesn't cause any disruptions with future exhibits and animal welfare.
This is something that's been going on for around a month now and with the California Academy of Science's CFO just resigning and their union just reaching an agreement with the Academy after over a year, this could be interesting to watch.
The union is under "AFSCME Council 57; "AFSCME wrote, "The workers are forming their union to advocate for fair pay, workplace flexibility, comprehensive benefits and better accessibility accommodations."
A Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesperson responded with a statement saying: "The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has announced the results of last month's secret ballot election, in which eligible staff voted on whether to form a union. The majority of those who voted supported the formation of Monterey Bay Aquarium Workers United (MBAWU), which will now represent all eligible staff. "Monterey Bay Aquarium looks forward to negotiating in good faith with MBAWU on behalf of its members. At this time, the Aquarium cannot speculate on what may or may not be included in the union contract. The Aquarium has always prioritized-and will continue to prioritize-the well-being of our staff, who play a central role in maintaining our position as a global leader in marine conservation and education."
Someone I know at the Aquarium who voted against unionizing has been very vocal about the topic. In all fairness, he is the manager of a department at the aquarium, so take his words as you will. But he was saying the union's points of fair pay, benefits, and flexibility have no leverage, since they're already much better than other institutions and really generous. Currently, from what he's saying, allegedly there's already discourse amongst the union since some of the members don't like what the union leaders are doing at the moment. Now this all is alleged since publicly, he's the only one speaking up about it.
But hopefully, this doesn't cause any disruptions with future exhibits and animal welfare.
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
It appears the Purple Striped Jellies are mixed with the Black Sea Nettles once again, seeing a lot of posts on Facebook of both.
But more excitingly, I was told by someone who works at the Aquarium that they're currently working on a new exhibit. They were vague about it since they can't tell everything of course, but I was told it's going to be a 30ft long Coral Reef Tank with a white/light blue mix lit background. I guess that mostly kills my Arctic exhibit idea, but I also have no idea where they have space for a 30ft Long Tank in the current aquarium layout. Maybe this is a hint towards a new special exhibition? I'm excited nonetheless, the wait should pay off.
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
To expand on this, they mentioned they specifically went with this mix of colors so that it would mimic the clear waters of a shallow coral reef (like those generic images that pop up on google) when it reflects off the white acrylic on the back of the tank. I also did see some video of them testing wave patterns on really long tanks too (I think 8ft length was what was being tested). In my mind, this either means A) Maybe some of the Coral Kingdom area (the Aquarium's tropical reef tanks are kept here) might be getting a renovation, or B) this is definitely a full on new exhibit. Considering they're specifically imitating shallow water conditions, I wonder if they're designing something about Coral Reefs and Global Warming / Bleaching, since they don't really have any exhibits that put an emphasis/education on the topic. If we got a mixed special exhibition that showcased Caribbean Reefs (somewhat unlikely since Caribbean Corals are protected, but there are a handful that are available in human care thanks to coral spawning) and Indo-Pacific Reefs (say Australia and Indonesia) and what threats they're facing despite being on opposite sides of the world, that wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Either way, I think them expanding their tropical collection is really nice since all of their current tropical exhibits are in the Splash Zone/children's area, so spreading it around again like they did with Viva Baja would be really neat.
Northwest_FIsh_Keeping
Well-Known Member
The "Splash Zone" area just celebrated it's 25th anniversary the other day, and to celebrate, the aquarium did an overview of its history over on their Instagram
Monterey Bay Aquarium on Instagram: "Just wrapped our LIVE Q&A with Ken Peterson, resident Aquarium historian, diving into 25 years of Splash Zone history and innovation! Don’t worry we saved the stream just for you #MontereyBayAquarium #SplashFromThePast"
Two very intriguing things that stuck out to me:
1) The "Splash Zone" area was actually meant to be a special exhibition, but got so much love early on, the board decided to make it a permanent area within the aquarium. They used to put on other special exhibitions in the space (most notably, "Sharks: Myth and Mystery", they mentioned). But they kept it around since it was such a big hit.
What sticks out to me is, hopefully this is the route they'll take with "Into the Deep". I know the initial runtime of Into the Deep was supposed to be 8 years / 2030 ending, but theres so much new science, and technology, and public appreciation that has exploded from it, I really hope they have / are deciding to make it permanent. Especially since the entrance is literally the bottom viewing half of the "Open Sea" tank and i don't think they would've gone through all that trouble renovating the space just to change it again in less than a decade.
2) I completely forgot that the African Penguin's are due for an upgrade sometime soon. The talks have been going on since 2023, and considering how the Splash Zone just turned 25, and that they're working on a 30ft long Reef Tank in the back.. the timing is sure matching up for something potentially huge. I wouldn't be surprised is maybe sometime this year or next year, we'd get an announcement of the Splash Zone getting a major overhaul. Some people say its the "weakest" part of the Aquarium (mainly because of the African Penguin exhibit), but i also feel like it just needs a refresh too. Just a hunch, but again, the timing of everything is looking oddly suspicious (in a good way)
Monterey Bay Aquarium on Instagram: "Just wrapped our LIVE Q&A with Ken Peterson, resident Aquarium historian, diving into 25 years of Splash Zone history and innovation! Don’t worry we saved the stream just for you #MontereyBayAquarium #SplashFromThePast"
Two very intriguing things that stuck out to me:
1) The "Splash Zone" area was actually meant to be a special exhibition, but got so much love early on, the board decided to make it a permanent area within the aquarium. They used to put on other special exhibitions in the space (most notably, "Sharks: Myth and Mystery", they mentioned). But they kept it around since it was such a big hit.
What sticks out to me is, hopefully this is the route they'll take with "Into the Deep". I know the initial runtime of Into the Deep was supposed to be 8 years / 2030 ending, but theres so much new science, and technology, and public appreciation that has exploded from it, I really hope they have / are deciding to make it permanent. Especially since the entrance is literally the bottom viewing half of the "Open Sea" tank and i don't think they would've gone through all that trouble renovating the space just to change it again in less than a decade.
2) I completely forgot that the African Penguin's are due for an upgrade sometime soon. The talks have been going on since 2023, and considering how the Splash Zone just turned 25, and that they're working on a 30ft long Reef Tank in the back.. the timing is sure matching up for something potentially huge. I wouldn't be surprised is maybe sometime this year or next year, we'd get an announcement of the Splash Zone getting a major overhaul. Some people say its the "weakest" part of the Aquarium (mainly because of the African Penguin exhibit), but i also feel like it just needs a refresh too. Just a hunch, but again, the timing of everything is looking oddly suspicious (in a good way)
Persephone
Well-Known Member
It’s kind of the weakest area by default. Monterey Bay Habitats, Kelp Forest, Into the Deep, and Open Seas are all, at minimum, very good. So it’s Splash Zone or the sea otters. I’d say the sea otter exhibit is at least good for what it is. Splash Zone is the only one that kind of felt like something I’d see in a much lesser aquarium. Except the leaping blennies. Those were great.