CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (PIX11) – Moo Deng’s move in New York City has two new celebrity pets.
Two rescued sea otters were recently brought to the New York Aquarium at Coney Island and are ready to be explored as of Thursday.
Pandas will make their debut at the National Zoo in January
One of two new otters rescued from California and brought to New York. (Nature Conservation Society)
Two new otters are ready to explore at the New York Aquarium. (Nature Conservation Society)
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, both females were rescued off the coast of California and brought to New York after it was decided they were not suitable for release.
“These two otters have an incredible story, and we are thrilled to see how well they are acclimating to their new home,” said Leigh Ann Clayton, director of the New York Aquarium.
Sea otters like these two are classified as endangered species, with only about 3,000 remaining in the wild, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
These two new additions are not alone. Since 1991, 11 sea otters have been rescued and kept at the New York Aquarium.
Visitors were delighted with new friends at New York Zoos this year, including a tiny species of deer that was born at the Queens Zoo in August. In July, a baby kangaroo appeared at the Bronx Zoo for the first time.
Emily Rahhal is a Los Angeles-based digital reporter who has been covering New York since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter Here.
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