Southern Sea Otters and Leopard Sharks

[Northwest_FIsh_Keeping]

This was just a random thought that popped up in my mind but has any institution ever mixed Southern Sea Otters and Leopard Sharks together in the same habitat? Sort of like a San Diego Zoo thing with their African Penguins where the tank is big enough for both species to co-habit (though the penguins started bullying the sharks so they had to be moved).
I know Monterey Bay keeps their otters with a few species of Rockfish, Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, and possibly some Surf Perch, and Aquarium of the Pacific houses Yellow Amberjack with their otters.

Geographically it makes sense, and in my mind at least the Sharks wouldn't harm the Otters in any way, but perhaps vice versa again like with what happened at San Diego. However, I'm going to assume there's a reason we don't hear about it more often.

 

[Local_Shark]

Yeah, biggest obstacle to it is definitely the sea otters bullying the sharks. Leopard sharks are rather notoriously mild mannered but otters can be really nasty little buggers for not much reason sometimes haha. You’re absolutely right, the Aquarium of the Pacific exhibits theirs with yellowtail, and as far as I am aware there have been no problems (though that’s a husbandry question and my time there was in education). Yellowtail, however, definitely seem to be far faster than leopard sharks, so if there has been bullying at any point they can probably evade their mammalian tormentors a good bit more easily.

I honestly don’t know if it would work - but frankly, I think it’s a fascinating idea, and I’d consider trying it if ever I was placed in charge of such an exhibit.

 

[splendens]

This was just a random thought that popped up in my mind but has any institution ever mixed Southern Sea Otters and Leopard Sharks together in the same habitat? Sort of like a San Diego Zoo thing with their African Penguins where the tank is big enough for both species to co-habit (though the penguins started bullying the sharks so they had to be moved).
I know Monterey Bay keeps their otters with a few species of Rockfish, Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, and possibly some Surf Perch, and Aquarium of the Pacific houses Yellow Amberjack with their otters.

Geographically it makes sense, and in my mind at least the Sharks wouldn't harm the Otters in any way, but perhaps vice versa again like with what happened at San Diego. However, I'm going to assume there's a reason we don't hear about it more often.

Oceanário de Lisboa used to mix leopard sharks and various other fish with their northern sea otters, though judging from recent videos, only surf perch are mixed with the otters and the other species are seemingly in a partioned off section of the tank that blends into the main otter tank via a glass panel, and the otter exhibit also looks to have the large ocean tank visible behind it as well. Hopefully a member who has been there recently can chime in.

 

[SeaOtterHQ]

If you watch the clip linked below until the very end, you'll see Tofino the sea otter pup along with her new crow friend Russell. The crow tags along during her meal and snags a piece of clam for himself. It made me wonder how cute a mixed sea otter + corvid or other bird exhibit would be.

I know wild sea otters will occasionally prey on seabirds, but I'm not sure if they would bother if they have people feeding them their preferred food items (clam, crabs, shrimp, etc.) every day, and if they got acclimated to the birds' presence.

Vancouver Aquarium on Instagram: "It's #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek, and don't worry - we haven't forgotten about the other otters! Mak, Kunik, Joey and Quatse enjoyed a clam art party today to kick off Sea Otter Awareness week - but once they were done we had to make sure Tofino could get in on the action too!"

 

[MOG2012]

Are/have any other penguins housed with sharks? Does the Little Blue Penguins bully the sharks despite being around the same size?