Charlie, Oldest Sea Otter At Zoo Or Aquarium, Dies At 22

LONG BEACH, CA — Charlie, the oldest living sea otter in a zoo or aquarium, died on Monday, the Aquarium of the Pacific announced. He was 22.

Aquarium staff members were carefully monitoring Charlie as he was showing signs of slowing down, but he was still active and alert until he passed away, the Aquarium press release said.

"Charlie was beloved by the Aquarium’s staff, members, and the public for his kind nature and intelligence. He was the first otter in the world to give a voluntary blood sample, which aided in his annual physicals and medical exams," the Aquarium of the Pacific said.

Wild male southern sea otters typically live 10 to 14 years, but can live up to 20 years or more in a zoo or aquarium environment, the Aquarium said. Despite his age, Charlie still enjoyed playing in ice and his ice toys.

As a pup he was stranded, rescued and deemed non-releasable to the wild before arriving at the Aquarium, the press release said. He was the oldest southern sea otter living at any aquarium or zoo, earning him a feature in the Guinness Book of World Records: Wild Things edition released in 2018.

Charlie was with the Aquarium since it first opened — he was first orphaned during the El Niñ0 storms of 1997. Southern sea otters like Charlie live along the coast of Northern California from just south of San Francisco to the central California coast.

Charlie was an animal ambassador living at the Aquarium and also contributed to scientific research, the aquarium said. From 2011 to 2013, he participated in a study University of California Santa Cruz's Long Marine Lab examining how sea otters perceive sound.

He was selected for the study in part because of the behavioral training he had received at the Aquarium. To participate, Charlie learned to enter a specialized acoustic testing environment, listen for sound signals, and respond to the researchers, notifying them whether he had heard the sound by touching his nose to a target or remaining still.

Charlie’s fans and supporters can pay tribute to him at the Aquarium on Sunday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aquarium visitors will be able to fill out a card in Charlie’s memory that will hang from the railing at the Sea Otter Habitat all day. For those wishing to make a donation in Charlie’s name, click here.

Related >> Charlie, Oldest Sea Otter Living In A Zoo Or Aquarium, Turns 22