Whiskers and Waterdrops

This is one of many pictures I'll be uploading from my special trip the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA.

Every year, they donate a special behind the scenes experience to Happy Hollow Zoo's fundraiser - this year it was the Heart of the Congo event I told you all about. My mom ended up willing the auction and we got this one-of-a-kind experience! Apparently they don't do this specific tour for other donors - I had no idea and I feel SO lucky I got this opportunity.

Huge thanks to the staff and aquarium for donating this experience and helping to raise money for the gorillas in Congo.

About the Otters: Rosa and Joy both arrived to the aquarium as stranded pups who's mothers were MIA. They were raised by humans before they had the otter surrogate program at the aquarium. Eventually they were re-released - and Joy even successfully mated in the wild! However, kayakers (who are supposed to keep a distance from wildlife by law) got too close, and Rosa and Joy were not afraid of people and would go up to them. The aquarium was requested to bring them back to the aquarium so as not to pose harm to them or people in the bay. They now live at MBA as surrogates. Joy in particular has raised around a dozen pups for successful releases!