You can help the Shedd Aquarium name this rescued sea otter

Two rescued female sea otter pups have found a safe home at the Shedd Aquarium.

Help name this furry baby.Courtesy of Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium

(CHICAGO) The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is asking the public to vote on names for a 9-month-old female otter, one of two rescued along the California coast. Currently, they are being called Otters 926 and 929.

The two pups were found in separate locations by the Monterey Bay Aquarium when they were only two weeks old. They were found alone, with no mother, or other adult otters, in sight.

The otters were transferred from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. They've been getting used to their new environment behind the scenes. And now, they are ready to meet the public and have been introduced to the otter habitat.

Courtesy of Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium

How to vote

Otter 926 is having her name chosen by the Shedd's staff. Chicagoans can vote online for Otter 929 at the Shedd Aquarium's website here.

Voters will have a list of names to choose from. According to the Shedd, "the names correspond to a location along the coast of California where sea otters can be found."

What are the choices?

Aquarium staff chose the names for the following reasons:

• Jade: named after Jade Cove, located in the southern area of Big Sur in California.
• Sunny: named after Sunset Beach, next to Asilomar Beach in California.
• Willow: named after Willow Creek Picnic Area and Beach in Monterey County, California.

When does voting end?

Vote as many times as you like. Voting lasts until Monday, October 31st at 5 PM. Be sure to check the aquarium's Twitter page on Tuesday, November 1st for the winner.

Are sea otters a threatened species?

Sea otters on California's southern coast are a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Only around 3,000 sea otters remain in the world today.

Threats to sea otters include:

• white shark attacks
• human interference
• disease
• oil spills

The rescued otters will be at the Shedd temporarily

The Shedd Aquarium will provide a temporary home for the two rescued baby otters. Once the two are fully grown, they will return to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where they will become surrogate mothers for future rescued sea otter pups.

According to the Shedd, "Surrogates teach rescued, orphaned pups critical life skills like how to groom their dense fur to survive cold Pacific Ocean temperatures and how to dive to great lengths to forage for food."

Details for visiting Chicago's Shedd Aquarium

Location: 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive

Save money by buying tickets in advance. Chicago residents get a discount with ID. Buy tickets online here.

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