It’s World Otter Day!

npr:

• Sea otters are furry and photogenic, but those aren’t the only reasons to save them from extinction. Turns out that just by eating, otters can preserve their entire estuarine ecosystems. 
• Six million years ago, giant otters weighing more than 100 pounds lived among birds and water lilies in the wooded wetlands of China’s Yunnan province. The discovery sheds light on how otters evolved.
• A southern sea pup now known as Luna was found on a California beach in 2014. She was transferred to the Shedd Aquarium, where a naming contest was held for her. The name Luna beat out Cali, Ellie, Poppy and Ana. Her name is meant to signify California’s Half Moon Bay, near where the pup was rescued. Watch her playing around and eating a snack after being rescued!

Photo courtesy of Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium