March 19, 2007

 

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM SEA OTTER REMINDS US OF THE TRAGIC EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL

Vancouver, BC: The Vancouver Aquarium invites visitors to meet Nyac, a survivor of the tragic Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred on March 24, 1989. All week, visitors at the Aquarium’s sea otter shows will hear Nyac’s amazing story of survival after the Exxon Valdez ran aground, spilling crude oil into the waters of Prince William Sound and threatening a huge numbers of animals, including up to 30,000 sea otters.

At the time, the Vancouver Aquarium immediately sent its vet, Dr. Dave Huff, and members of its Marine Mammal Rescue team up to Alaska to help sea otters suffering from the effects of oil exposure. The team tried to help hundreds of animals on-site, many of whom were too sick to survive. It is estimated that as many as 5,000 otters eventually died as a result of the spill. A few rescued animals that were deemed unreleasable into the wild and in need of long-term care were fortunate to find homes in aquariums. The Vancouver Aquarium was able to provide homes for eight of these young survivors, including Nyac.

At 18 ½ years old, Nyac is an elderly otter and one of only seven remaining survivors still living in an aquarium. When Nyac arrived, she was treated by our animal care team for liver problems directly attributable to the effects of the oil exposure. She was selected for intensive care here at the Aquarium because despite her ailing state, she maintained a healthy appetite and remained very alert. All the otters at the Vancouver Aquarium are given regular physicals and today, our vet Dr. Marty Haulena says Nyac’s liver shows no signs of damage. Nyac is the only known survivor of the Exxon Valdez oil spill to have successfully had a pup in an aquarium.

Nyac continues to keep active by playing with her mates Tanu, 2 ½ years old, and Milo, 7 years old. Some of her favourite activities include eating live crab or sea urchins, hauling out and rolling around in ice, and you can often spot her sleeping while holding “hands” with Milo. She is a wonderful ambassador for her wild counterparts as we tell her story to visitors and remind them of the importance of conserving natural habitats. Visitors hear her story daily at 1:30 & 4:30 p.m.