Sea Otter Exhibit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Lives We're still learning about the community of otters Researchers have watched sea otters interact hundreds of times, but still don't know much about their social bonds or how they communicate. However, long-term studies of tagged animals are slowly revealing a picture of sea otter society. We've learned male otters travel more frequently and farther than females, and that males and females live in different locations. In California, large groups of males of all ages live at the northern and southern ends of the population's range; females and pups live in the center. Females generally stick to a home area of two to 12 miles, though some travel farther. Certain males guard smaller territories where females live (in Monterey Bay, male territories are just over half a mile apart). These older, territorial males gain access to resident females. A territorial male will mate with several females throughout the year, but a female usually mates with one male during the brief time she is fertile. The pair form a bond for three to four days, feeding, grooming and mating together. They separate after the female conceives; after four to six months, she will bear and care for her pup alone. Day-to-day, sea otters socialize in groups called "rafts." Rafts typically consist of two or more resting otters. Males raft together in larger groups; females raft in some combination of females, pups and the occasional territorial male. Researchers think rafting otters probably communicate with one another, but know very little about it—it's hard to listen in on them from shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q:	Who had the idea for an aquarium devoted to Monterey Bay habitats?
A:	The aquarium project was initiated in 1977 by a group of four marine biologists at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. From the beginning, we planned our permanent exhibits as a walk through Monterey Bay's beautiful natural communities.
Q:	When did the aquarium open?
A:	The aquarium opened October 20, 1984. In 1996, we almost doubled our exhibit space with the opening of the Outer Bay Wing, devoted to the open ocean and deep sea. The main feature is the Outer Bay Waters exhibit, the one-million-gallon tank containing tuna, sharks, ocean sunfish and sea turtles.
Q:	How many people visit the aquarium?
A:	About 1.8 million people visit us each year.
Q:	Who owns the aquarium?
A:	The aquarium is owned by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, a public non-profit organization established by David and Lucile Packard.
Q:	Who financed the aquarium's construction?
A:	The aquarium was a gift to the community by David and Lucile Packard. The original cost of the aquarium was approximately $55 million.
Q:	Who pays for the operation of the aquarium? Does it receive government support?
A:	The aquarium is a non-profit organization. In order to meet our annual budget, we rely on income from admission fees, memberships, contributions from individuals and businesses, foundation grants, special events, and our gift and bookstores. No government money is involved (except an occasional research grant).
Q:	Do you accept bequests?
A:	Yes. We encourage individuals who wish to make a gift through their will or living trust to designate an estate gift to the aquarium's permanent endowment fund. Your gift to the aquarium and the world's oceans will last in perpetuity if you use appropriate language. Please visit our Members and Donors section to contact our Development Office for more information.
Q:	What is the legal name of the Monterey Bay Aquarium?
A:	For legal and estate planning purposes, our official name is The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation.
Q:	How many employees does the aquarium have? How many volunteers?
A:	Currently, the aquarium has 420 employees and almost 900 volunteers. Our volunteers do everything from guiding school children through our exhibits to feeding the animals in our Kelp Forest. Visit Volunteer and Job Opportunities to find out more!
Q:	Who designed the aquarium?
A:	The aquarium was designed by the architectural firm of Esherick Homsey Dodge and Davis of San Francisco. The chief architect was Charles Davis. They designed our beautiful building in the style of the Hovden Cannery building that once occupied the site.
Q:	When did the Hovden Cannery close down, and why?
A:	The cannery closed in 1972. The sardine fishery had collapsed, and the market for canned squid was insufficient to support continued operation of the cannery.
Q:	How long did it take to convert Hovden Cannery into the aquarium?
A:	It took seven years to plan and build the main wing of the aquarium.
Q:	Does the aquarium conduct marine science research?
A:	The aquarium has an active research program. We have groups working on sea otter conservation and tuna conservation biology. Our sister institution, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, conducts deep-sea research in the vast Monterey submarine canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   http://www.mbayaq.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claude Bolling - Jean-Pierre Rampal

Baroque And Blue