After a month of training behind-the-scenes, our newest sea otter, Opal, makes her official debut on exhibit this week! Opal’s sparkly personality quickly shined through during her training. The team was impressed by her confidence and how quickly Opal bonded with her new raftmates Ivy, Ruby, and Selka. Our precious gems, Opal and Ruby, are especially close! ⤵️
ALT“It has been an absolute joy working with Opal, getting to know her personality, and watching her learn so quickly,” shared Courtney Ribeiro-French, aquarium senior mammalogist. “Introducing her to new toys and enrichment items and seeing how inquisitive and playful she is with them has been one of the best parts of my day.”
ALTTo help Opal adjust to the exhibit and get used to seeing our guests, live sea otter feedings have been canceled Tuesday, April 29, and Wednesday, April 30. The upper mezzanine level of the sea otter exhibit will be closed, but guests are welcome to observe the exhibit from the windows on the ground floor. We expect that Opal will be moving in and out of the exhibit area for a while as she gets used to her new home, so she will not be visible all the time.
ALTIf you can’t make it to Monterey Bay to meet Opal right away, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her on our Sea Otter Cam. The live broadcast from the exhibit will be paused intermittently so we can check in with Opal and make sure she stays comfortable in her new surroundings.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we welcome Opal to her new home! 💙
