Sea Otter Training Session with Mishka! 🦦

Did you know the sea otters at the Seattle Aquarium are trained to voluntarily participate in their own health care? Experience a first-person view of what it's like working with Mishka, one of the resident sea otters at the Aquarium, during one of these training sessions, which occur multiple times each day. Training husbandry behaviors helps the sea otters at the Aquarium learn to trust and cooperate with their caretakers when participating in their own health care. Through training our staff is able to voluntarily collect blood samples, record weights, take measurements, conduct ultrasounds and more. Training also provides mental stimulation and physical exercise with choices to positively affect the animals’ psychological well-being and physical health. Additionally, working closely with the sea otters at the Aquarium provides opportunities to assist research in gaining knowledge of the species’ physiology and behavior, which in turn can help us provide the best care possible. ABOUT MISHKA Mishka joined the Seattle Aquarium in January 2015, after being caught in a fishing net as a young pup, then being rescued and rehabilitated by the Alaska SeaLife Center and deemed non-releasable by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. SEA OTTER RESEARCH AT THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM Throughout our history, we’ve focused on sea otter research, husbandry and education. (Fast fact: we were the first aquarium in the world to have a sea otter conceived and born in human care—and subsequently live to adulthood.) Our research efforts increase our knowledge of the animals in our care, contribute to conservation efforts in the wild, support public interest in research, and encourage people to learn, like you’re doing right now! #seaotters #SeattleAquarium #otter ----- Join us in our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment! Subscribe to our channel https://www.youtube.com/subscription_... Visit us on the web: https://www.SeattleAquarium.org Facebook:   / aquarium.seattle   Twitter:   / seattleaquarium   Instagram:   / seattleaquarium