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Nyac the sea otter by Stan Gielewski

Nyac is the Vancouver Aquarium's oldest otter. She was adopted by the Vancouver Aquarium since rescued from the Exxon Valdes oil spill in Alaska eighteen years ago. There were about 5000 sea otters killed in that spill. Nyac was a six-month old pup at that time. It was saved by a group a veterinarians and taken to Vancouver Aquarium for rehabilitation.

It was a real luck for the little otter to survive. The oil-covered otters usually die within hours if not treated. The oil clumps together their thick fur, and allows water to contact their skin, exposing them to hypothermia. The survivors of such disasters face other long term complications, like liver problems for example and depleted food supply.

Nyac, at almost 20 years (the spill was in 1989), is one of the oldest sea otters in captivity. She has successfully given birth to three pups.

                                                               'Nyac the sea otter' Stan Gielewski