Sea Notes
January 17, 2008

1. AND THE WINNER IS...

...Shani--the name you (and a few thousand other folks) selected for
our new African spotted-necked otter pup. Over 5,000 votes were cast
online to help us name the 3-month-old female pup. "Shani," (SHAH-nee)
which means "curiosity" or "adventure," earned 62 percent of all the
online votes. And she's certainly displaying those traits as she plays
"chase" with visitors and swims together with her mom, Kamili, in our
Wild About Otters special exhibition. She's a cutie, too, with a
noticeable white "milk moustache." Born September 27, 2007, she stayed
behind the scenes with mom until December 18. If you can't see her in
person right away, look for her on our Freshwater Otter Cam.

Of course, all the world's otters--both sea otters and their
freshwater cousins like Shani--are the winners when we work together
to protect their homes in the wild so they have the clean water they
need to thrive. In California, a new income tax check-off option
raised more than $250,000 for sea otter research last year. The tax
check-off is available again in 2007 for anyone filing an income tax
return in California. It's a simple way to assure a healthy future for
sea otters in the state.

Learn more about Shani:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_wao/wao_pups_sept.asp

Watch our freshwater otter cam:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_wao/wao_cam.asp?k=view2

Learn about the taxcheck-off box :
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/oa/web/ActionAlertDetails.aspx?enc=tqKTGFKlddE=

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2. DINE WELL, SAVE THE OCEAN

At Cooking for Solutions 2008, celebrity chefs--recognized by the
Aquarium for crafting menus that promote healthy oceans--will be part
of a gourmet gala, host culinary adventures, present cooking
demonstrations and more. Tickets are available.

Learn more about Cooking for Solutions 2008:
http://www.cookingforsolutions.org

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3. YOUR VISIT MADE TO ORDER

It's easier than ever to plan an Aquarium visit that's made just for
you. Try Aquarium Adventures, including guided tours that connect you
more deeply with favorite animals and exhibits. Or special event
weekends with added programs and activities for all ages.

Learn more about our daily activities and programs:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/programs.asp

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4. A WHALE OF A TIME

January is typically when the southern migration of gray whales peaks
in Monterey Bay. Around 18,000 animals are headed south to Baja
California, within easy sight of shore or from a whale-watching
charter in the bay.

Learn more about gray whales in the bay:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/whalebook/

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5. AQUARIUM WALLPAPER

Sea otter wallpaper
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/seanotes/wallpaper.asp

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a non-profit institution. Our mission
is to inspire conservation of the oceans. You can support our many
education programs and marine research projects by:

- Becoming a member or making an online donation.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/md/

- Joining forces with the aquarium to take action on critical ocean
issues.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/oa/

- Sending a conservation-oriented electronic postcard to friends.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/epostcards/


We welcome your thoughts and comments.
(mailto:equarist@mbayaq.org)

Monterey Bay Aquarium | 886 Cannery Row | Monterey | CA | 93940