Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium needs your help naming its newest resident—a playful, adolescent sea otter.
A Sea Otter’s Journey to Chicago
Otter 937 arrived at the aquarium from California earlier this year, according to a release. The otter was reportedly rescued as a pup from a Monterey Bay beach in 2022.
After determining that reuniting the baby otter with its mother would be impossible, the critter spent time at several West Coast aquariums before eventually making her way to Chicago.
Since landing at the Shedd on May 1, the semi-aquatic critter has been thriving under the watchful eye of staff and interacting with the rest of Shedd’s sea otter population.
Help Name Otter 937
Guests can head to the aquarium’s sea otter habitat to vote in-person for one of several pre-selected names, as first reported by Block Club Chicago.
The Shedd has picked several names voters can choose from:
- Esa (ee-sah)
- Jade
- Marina
- Rey
The name options pay tribute to Otter 937’s birthplace along the pacific coast, as well as conservation efforts that help to protect her species.
Voting closes Wednesday, Jun 25, and Shedd staff will announce the winning name on June 30.