SeaWorld San Diego Celebrates Sea Otter Awareness Week

SAN DIEGO, CA — In celebration of Sea Otter Awareness Week, SeaWorld San Diego is joining zoos and aquariums nationwide to raise awareness and educate the public about sea otters through in-person and virtual events.

The San Diego theme park is home to six rescued southern sea otters.

"Sea Otter Awareness Week gives us the chance to educate guests about the role sea otters play in the health of coastal ecosystems, their remarkable recovery from the brink of extinction, and the ongoing challenges they face," said Eric Otjen, vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld San Diego. "Raising awareness about the crucial role sea otters have in shaping and preserving the California coast's ecosystems highlights why conservation efforts to protect and restore the species are so important."

Southern sea otters, native to the Pacific coast of Central California, can be seen at the park's Wild Arctic exhibit. SeaWorld's animal care specialists host daily trainer talks to share interesting facts and insights into the day-to-day care, habits and interactions with the otters.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Wild Arctic team will host a special educational table with activities, coloring tools, enrichment tools and more. A Sea Otter Up-Close Encounter is available for an upgrade to go behind-the-scenes and inside the sea otter exhibit to watch the animals enjoy their lunch, with an opportunity to feed them their favorite snacks.

"Sea Otter Awareness Week is our annual reminder that we all play a role in protecting sea otters — not just by admiring them, but by learning how to share the coast responsibly and support science-based conservation," said Gena Bentall, director and founder of Sea Otter Savvy. "This week is a celebration of one of the ocean's most charismatic champions — a reminder that the ecological integrity of our coastlines is tightly woven with the survival of these incredible creatures. Sea otters are so much more than a pretty face."