Seattle Aquarium

Today’s the day! The eagle rays are gliding, the mangrove trees are towering, the clownfish are nestling into anemones—and the Seattle Aquarium's Ocean Pavilion expansion is now open. ?? At the Ocean Pavilion, you'll come face to face with 3,500 animals and plants, including rays, sharks, schooling fish, mangroves, nearly 30 species of coral and more. The Ocean Pavilion will also use state-of-the-art, 360-degree, digital displays to tell a story about Earth's one ocean. All waters are connected—from our beloved Salish Sea to the Coral Triangle across the Pacific. At the Ocean Pavilion, we’ll explore how our fate and the ocean’s are connected and how, together, we can make a difference for the ocean we all depend on. This expansion of our campus and our mission has been over a decade in the making, and we can't wait to see everyone experience it for the first time. Prepare to dive in: https://lnkd.in/gRmYaxep ???: Devin Mu?oz

This World Octopus Day, meet sqiq?l??. ?? Sqiq?l?? (skee-sku-luch) is one of the Aquarium's newest residents. Reflecting the Aquarium’s place on traditional and contemporary Coast Salish land, her name means "baby octopus" in the Lushootseed language. The name was chosen by middle- and high-school students in a language and performing arts class at Muckleshoot Tribal School. Aquarists Malik and Kaitlin—who help care for giant Pacific octopuses here at the Aquarium—facilitated conversations about naming sqiq?l?? with the students’ teacher, Teresa Allen. Like other giant Pacific octopuses, sqiq?l?? will live at the Aquarium temporarily. We hope you love her as much as we do! Read more on the naming process and how we're working with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to enrich cultural and marine science education work: https://lnkd.in/gg_Z8_Sr

The Overlook Walk is now open! ?? The rooftop of the Ocean Pavilion connects to the new Overlook Walk. Together, they form an elevated public park connecting Pike Place Market PDA to the waterfront for the very first time! On the Ocean Pavilion's rooftop, you’ll discover native plantings designed with guidance from traditional ecological knowledge-keeper Valerie Segrest (Muckleshoot), co-founder and principal at Tahoma Peak Solutions—as well as sandblasted images led by Owen Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo) of Headwater People Consulting.

Seattleites, can you believe it's been 5 years since we said goodbye to the viaduct?! Since then, we've been pretty busy building our new Ocean Pavilion expansion. Watch as it comes to life. Full video on our YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gT69u4Bj And it just keeps getting better, because this Friday, October 4, the Overlook Walk opens! The rooftop of the Ocean Pavilion connects to the new Overlook Walk and together, forms an elevated public park connecting Pike Place Market PDA to the waterfront—making waterfront access much easier and more inviting. We're excited!

For the final day of #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek, let's talk enrichment! ?? Providing the very best care and quality of life for the animals entrusted to us—at all stages of their lives—is a vital part of our mission. Every animal at the Seattle Aquarium receives enrichment. Enrichment refers to experiences that offer opportunities for animals to satisfy their behavioral needs, optimize their level of mental stimulation and create a rich, variable environment. Enrichment can fall into many categories, including: ? Sensory experiences, such as floating objects with differing textures. ? Food, such as task-oriented devices (like puzzles with a favorite morsel inside)! ? Habitat, such as changes that add complexity to the surroundings. ? Environmental enrichment devices, such as toys that the animal can manipulate. ? And more! You can catch Mishka and Sekiu enjoying different types of enrichment on our sea otter live cam—tune in to see what they're getting up to at any given moment!

We’re proud to have collaborated with American Humane on the new documentary, “Escape from Extinction Rewilding”—featuring our Chief Conservation Officer Erin Meyer, PhD discussing kelp forests and sea otter populations! This film follows the tireless conservation efforts of organizations implementing rewilding practices across a diverse array of species in equally diverse environments—from the forests of Rwanda to the Pacific Coast of North America. ?? Through powerful storytelling and compelling cinematography, this film highlights how humanity, when armed with knowledge and compassion, can halt the decline of countless animal species and restore the environments we call home. “Escape from Extinction Rewilding” premieres today, September 27! If you're in the Seattle area, catch it at Big Picture Downtown Issaquah. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gRkJnk7c #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek

Today for #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek, we're celebrating our scientists! For years, Aquarium researchers have regularly surveyed sea otters and their diets. ??? Each June for the past 24 years, Seattle Aquarium researchers have participated in an annual survey documenting the increasing trend of Washington's sea otter population. Fun fact: Washington's sea otter population has been estimated to be growing at a rate of 10% each year! ?? And each month since 2010, Aquarium biologists have been hiking our state's outer coast to collect foraging data and document what sea otters eat. When otter diets start to diversify (meaning they eat a variety of non-preferred foods), the otter population has reached local carrying capacity and needs to expand into new territory. In one day, our research team might document over 600 otters across three different sites along the coast. Read more about tracking wild sea otter populations: https://lnkd.in/g5KYRNEH ??: Research Scientist Amy Olsen

We think #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek rocks. Speaking of rocks... did you know that sea otters can use them—or other hard surfaces—to crack open their food? Or that sea otters don't actually drink fresh water? Instead, they get their water from the foods they eat and the ice they consume. Check out Mishka showing off her skills to get at some tasty—and hydrating—treats. (And be sure to turn your sound on.) ???: Supervisor of Birds & Mammals Aubrey

Happy #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek! We'll be talking all things sea otters, all week long. What's a better way to start than by introducing you to the two sea otters we care for here at the Seattle Aquarium: Mishka and Sekiu! ?? Both Mishka and Sekiu are female, northern sea otters. Mishka joined us in January 2015 after being caught in a fishing net as a young pup, then being rescued and rehabilitated by the Alaska SeaLife Center and deemed non-releasable by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Sekiu was born right here at the Seattle Aquarium in January 2012. Sekiu was the last sea otter born in a zoological facility in the United States. AZA-accredited institutions now prioritize keeping space available for sea otters that were rescued, rehabilitated and subsequently deemed non-releasable (like Mishka was). Need help telling them apart? The fur on Mishka's face is darker in color than Sekiu's! Try to identify them on our live cam: https://lnkd.in/dtKZNciS

This past weekend, we celebrated Barney the harbor seal's 39th birthday! ?? Barney was born at the Seattle Aquarium on September 14, 1985. Since then, he's been stealing the hearts of staff and guests alike and inspiring millions to help protect his beloved and charismatic species. Barney is decidedly elderly for a harbor seal. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the median life expectancy for harbor seals in zoos and aquariums is about 25 years. At 39, Barney has lived well beyond that. In fact, his biological age is about the equivalent of a 100-year-old human! As our Curator of Birds & Mammals Veronica Seawall noted: “Barney remains one of the oldest harbor seals in human care—possibly the world—that we know of." Here at the Aquarium, we have a number of geriatric, or elderly, animals entrusted to our care, and our expert team works hard to create environments that meet their evolving needs as they age. Read all about it on our website: https://lnkd.in/gqRZq4bg