October 2023

There’s a Whole Lotta Otta at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher thanks to prolific parents Leia and Quincy, a pair of Asian small-clawed otters. They welcomed two litters of three pups in less than a year. The rambunctious romp is complemented by Asta and Ray, the mother-son duo who live around the corner—all told 10 otters in Otters on the Edge. Native to Southeast Asia, southern India, southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines, they are a vulnerable species, and the Aquarium is saving them through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program.


The marketing campaign Whole Lotta Otta features the otters on static and digital billboards, buses, shuttles, social media posts and digital ads to share their story of survival. 

“Visitors get excited about how many otters there are at the Aquarium—so Whole Lotta Otta came from this enthusiasm. This campaign shines a light on the Aquarium’s critical work to save species through AZA,” said Deyanira Romo Rossell, the Aquarium’s communications manager.


The first litter, all female, Stella, Mae and Selene were born May 21, 2022. The second—one female and two males, Gemma, Kai and Ren were born Jan. 31, 2023. Their popularity advances the Aquarium's mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments.

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