Mote sets date for otter exhibit

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s newest temporary exhibit, “Otters & Their Waters,” will open to the public Feb. 26.

The exhibit will feature three orphaned North American river otters, Huck, Pippi and Jane, and will educate guests on their watershed homes and what humans can do to keep them clean.

“We are thrilled that the public will be able to enjoy our river otters in this new special exhibit very soon,” said Evan Barniskis, assistant vice president for Mote Aquarium, in a news release. “This exhibit is going to be a lot of fun, as the otters are very charismatic, and it will educate our guests about watershed habitats that not many people know are vitally important to our oceans.”

The three otters arrived at Mote in late December and are living behind the scenes at the aquarium.

“Since the otters arrived, we have learned a lot about them,” staff biologist Amanda Foltz said in the new release. “Each has their own personality. Huck is energetic and loves the water. Jane loves to roll around in sand, and Pippi is the youngest, and she is the calmest. They are beautiful animals, and I hope as ambassadors for their watershed homes at Mote, the otters and their exhibit will shed some light on what we can do to help preserve our watersheds.”

“Otters & Their Waters” will be Mote’s fifth special exhibit and follows on the heels of last year’s “Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Seas,” which was made permanent due to its popularity.

The exhibit will be open during the aquarium’s normal operating hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information, call 388-4441.