Adore the sea otters along the Oregon Coast
September 17, 2006. Otters look like little old men, coasting on their backs, soaking up the sun. This makes them the darling of any aquarium lucky enough to have them. Well, at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, the sea otter is in the spotlight for a whole week, a time to educate the public about the role sea otters play in the marine ecosystem.
During Sea Otter Awareness Week, Sunday-Saturday, Sept. 24-30, hear talks by mammalogists, do some sea otter crafts and read all about the sea otter's natural history and adaptation. See the documentary "Precipice of Survival: The Southern Sea Otter," which traces the history of California's sea otters from the onset of the Pacific maritime fur trade in the mid-1700s. Oh . . . and enjoy watching these cute critters up close. Hours and cost: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Road. $12, $10 age 65 and older, $7 ages 3-12, 2 and younger free. More info: 541-867-3474, www.aquarium.org
Ann Robinson
| 