Draper aquarium opens public vote to name first otter pups

Draper's Loveland Living Planet Aquarium wants the public to pick names for its first-ever Asian small-clawed otter pups, with voting open through Tuesday, Oct. 20.

The two pups, one male and one female, were born June 6 to parents Kai and Emmie, as first reported by ABC4. They are the first Asian small-clawed otters ever born at the aquarium.

Voters can choose from three name options for each pup. For the female: Bulan ("sun" in Indonesian), Tala ("star" in Tagalog) or Ayu ("beautiful" in Indonesian). For the male: Surya ("moon" in Indonesian), Bintang ("star" in Indonesian) or Bayu ("wind" in Indonesian).

There is no limit on how many times a person can vote. The top-voted names become the pups' official names. As a bonus, the aquarium said it will select one voter per pup who picked the winning name to receive four tickets.

Ari Fustukjian, vice president of zoological operations, said the naming contest is meant to connect visitors with the otters and build appreciation for the species and its conservation needs, according to ABC4.

The pups spent their first months growing behind the scenes with Kai and Emmie, according to the aquarium's website. They are now beginning training with the animal care team and may not always be visible to guests during that process. The pups were born with their eyes closed and had to learn to swim with help from their parents, the aquarium said.

Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest of the world's 13 otter species, weighing less than 10 pounds as adults. The species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), threatened by habitat loss, pollution and hunting.

The otter habitat sits inside the Expedition Asia area of the Sam & Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center, which held its grand opening Feb. 20, according to the Draper Journal. The Dell Loy Hansen Family Foundation sponsors the exhibit.

Voting is available on the aquarium's website. The aquarium is located at 12033 South Lone Peak Parkway in Draper.

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