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Monterey Bay Aquarium Otter Pup Gets Name

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7th January, 2008

John Boitnott

NBC11.com (San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland), California, USA

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has announced the winner in its online otter-pup-naming contest.

After the aquarium received more than 5,000 online votes, the 3-month-old female African spotted-necked otter pup will get the name "Shani."

"Shani," which means "curiosity" or "adventure" earned 62 percent of the total online votes, followed by Nukta, which means "dot."

Nukta received 25 percent of the vote, and 'Ziwa," which means "lake" or "pond," received 13 percent.

All three names are Swahili, the language spoken in the native sub-Saharan habitats of wild African spotted-necked otters, aquarium officials said.

Visitors can see Shani and mom Kamili in the aquarium’s "Wild About Otters" exhibition.The aquarium announced the pup’s birth and the naming contest on Dec. 18.

People voted online at the aquarium’s Web site www.montereybayaquarium.org until Dec. 31.

A total of 5,083 votes were tallied during the nearly two-week period.

Shani was born on Sept. 27, 2007 at the "Wild About Otters" exhibit.The pup is the third African spotted-necked otter born at the aquarium.Two other female pups – Kazana and Ajabu, were born to parents Neema and Denny on Nov. 3, 2006.

Shani has quickly picked up her mother’s playfulness with visitors, aquarium officials said.

Both she and Kamili play “chase” with visitors and swim alongside them at the window of their exhibit, according to officials.

Kamili and the pup are separated from dad Kipenzi, who has been moved behind the scenes and will join the family again sometime within the next few months, officials said.

In the wild, females typically do most of the pup rearing, with a normal litter consisting of one to three pups

Wild About Otters is scheduled to run into 2010.The exhibit highlights how freshwater otters – just like the popular sea otters at the aquarium, and people around the world – need clean water to thrive and survive.

Currently featured are six African spotted-necked otters and four Asian small-clawed otters, along with tropical fishes, reptiles and plants that share the otters’ lush natural habitats.

Actor and wildlife conservation advocate John Cleese narrates high-definition video clips in the exhibit, sharing conservation messages about the connections that link lakes, rivers and oceans.

The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans, officials said.