ISIS lists 11 establishments with sea otters in North America: Oregon Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Vancouver Aquarium, San Diego Seaworld, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Pittsburgh Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, Minnesota Zoo, Aquarium of the Pacific, New York Aquarium and Oregon Coast Aquarium.
I know that the Georgia Aquarium and Seattle Aquarium also exhibit sea otters (amongst others?), and I've personally visited 10 out of the 13 locations. It is interesting that only 4 zoos (Oregon, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Point Defiance) have the species in captivity, but they are easily found in a number of AZA aquariums. However, outside of North America the species is extremely rare in either zoos or aquariums.
BEST SEA OTTER EXHIBITS:
# 1: Minnesota Zoo
# 2: Oregon Zoo
# 3: San Diego Seaworld
I know that the Georgia Aquarium and Seattle Aquarium also exhibit sea otters (amongst others?), and I've personally visited 10 out of the 13 locations. It is interesting that only 4 zoos (Oregon, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Point Defiance) have the species in captivity, but they are easily found in a number of AZA aquariums. However, outside of North America the species is extremely rare in either zoos or aquariums.
BEST SEA OTTER EXHIBITS:
# 1: Minnesota Zoo
# 2: Oregon Zoo
# 3: San Diego Seaworld
Why are rescue facilities for taxa under threat (the US captive population is divided among the various ssp. of Enhydra lutris) just that and do not actually provide facilities to artificially increase their numbers or operate habituation of sea otters back to the wild programmes. Currently, the entire captive population is lost on any mega population management. In this day and age ... I think that is a "failing" and unintelligible policy (I cannot and will not explain this to the general public as it cannot be explained logically).